Former world champion highlights potential pitfall for Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis at super welterweight

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis is gearing up for his bewildering rematch with Karen Chukhadzhian at the Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, this Saturday.

The IBF world welterweight champion will feature on a double header alongside fellow American star Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, with both hoping to make statements against their mandatory challengers.

And yet, the 27-year-old has already breezed past Chukhadzhian in an earlier encounter, comprehensively outboxing the Ukrainian through 12 rounds at the beginning of last year.

But still, in a bid to secure a unification showdown with one of the remaining welterweight champions, Jaron Ennis must retain his IBF trinket in style.

• Read More [Everything you need to know about Jaron Ennis, the welterweight champion looking to defend his IBF belt]

Chris Algieri considers potential clash between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Terence Crawford

Boots is widely regarded as the most talented fighter at 147 lbs, with his blistering hand speed and flashy footwork leaving the majority of fans gaping in awe.

These silky skills, of course, were put on display in his last outing against sturdy bruiser David Avanesyan, who ultimately succumbed to his opponent’s brilliance in the fifth round.

But while he has already captured the imagination of most boxing fans, Ennis is yet to secure a career-defining moment that can catapult him to the next level.

And so, with many expecting him to come through his next opponent in emphatic fashion, the IBF king has seemingly begun to consider his future options.

One name that Ennis has repeatedly mentioned is Terence Crawford, who dethroned Israil Madrimov for the WBA super welterweight title, while also becoming a four-weight world champion, earlier this year.

Former world champion Chris Algieri, though, has highlighted a potential hurdle that Ennis may need to overcome when moving up in weight.

“[It’s] probably one of the most unique transitions you can make in the sport of boxing,” Algieri said on ProBox TV.

“At 147 lbs, you are in the largest weight class to fight in eight ounce gloves. At 154 lbs, you are in the smallest weight class to fight in 10 ounce gloves.

“So you have that other, added caveat in the glove size, going up from 147 lbs to 154 lbs. A lot of the time, the power is more difficult to carry if you’re wearing those bigger gloves.”

• Read More [Three potential fights for Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis if he gets past Karen Chukhadzhian]

How Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis would fare against the other welterweight champions

While Boots seemingly has the frame and athleticism to move up in weight, there is no guarantee that his sharp combinations will deliver the same impact at 154 lbs.

So then, before he chases greatness in the higher divisions, it is worth considering how Ennis would match up against the remaining champions at welterweight.

Mario Barrios and Eimantas Stanionis have established themselves as two solid operators but may struggle to negate the elusive movement of Boots.

Brian Norman Jr, meanwhile, is a somewhat unknown entity, but has nonetheless displayed enough dynamic movement to provide a test for his countryman.