Former welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis is closing in on his debut at junior middleweight as he takes on Uisma Lima in a final eliminator for the WBA title at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday October 11th, live worldwide on DAZN – and in Matchroom’s ‘Day in the Life’ series, Boots says he is ready to announce himself in his new weight class. Ennis (34-0 30 KOs) said goodbye to welterweight in style in April, unifying the division by forcing WBA ruler Eimantas Stanionis to retire after seven punishing rounds in New Jersey, but after listening to his body, the Philadelphia star has moved up to 154 pounds and starts life at his new weight against the dangerous and well-traveled Angolan Lima (14-1 10 KOs).

 

‘Boots’ got the highest profile preparation possible for the fight, traveling to Lake Tahoe in California to join Canelo Alvarez’s camp for his clash with Terence Crawford in Las Vegas, and the 28 year old invited Matchroom’s cameras on his downtime in the picturesque surroundings, even finding time to do some fishing with his team – and Boots is ready on October 11 to cast his rod into the 154-pound lake to see who bites.

 

“I can’t wait to step in the ring in the junior middleweight division and take over,” said Ennis. “(On Vergil Ortiz Jr.) That fight is there. Our focus is handling business and getting Lima out of the way, looking good, make a big statement in the 154lb division, and I’m ready.

 

“Once I handle business, it doesn’t matter who it is; it’s Big Boots, not the little one, it’s Boots 2.0, and I’m excited. Being at a new weight class, the time is here now so it’s time to show out and put on.”