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“The New” Ray Robinson & Jaron “Boots” Ennis – Philly’s Finest!
By: Ken Hissner
They train in the same gym called “Bozy’s Dungeon” in North Philly on Venango Street over the Harrowgate Gym. They both have the same trainer in “Bozy” Ennis the father of “Boots”. They have been sparring partners since “Bozy” took over as the trainer for Robinson.
Robinson is No. 13 in the WBC welterweight rankings down from No. 5 without losing a fight since July of 2010. His only losses were back to back while with Star Boxing losing first to Brad Solomon, 8-0, (now 26-1) by 8 round majority decision in December of 2009 in New York. Then in July of 2010 he lost to Shawn Porter, 15-0, (now 26-2-1) in 10 rounds in Mississippi. In 2013 Porter won the IBF welterweight title. He is currently No. 3 in the WBC rankings.Robinson is managed by David McWater and promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions.
Since his last loss in 2010 Robinson has gone 11-0 with 7 stoppages. In May of 2012 he defeated former Olympian Terrance Cauthen, 36-7, by TKO2 in Newtown Township, PA, for the vacant PA State title. In February of 2013 he won the interim WBA-NABA title in 10 rounds over Nicaragua’s Alberto Morales 11-1-1 in Wilmington, DE. In August of 2013 he won the USBA title by TKO7 over “Sugar” Ray Nahr, 26-2, of Ghana in Newark, DE.
In February of 2014 Robinson won the vacant WBO NABO title over 12 rounds defeating Russia’s Aslanbek“The Lion” Kozaev, 25-0-1, in Dover, DE. In May of 2014 he won by TKO4 over George “El Terrible” Sosa, 13-7, of NJ in Dover, DE. In November of 2014 he again won the vacant WBO NABO title by RTD6 over Puerto Rico’s Daniel “Hudson Valley Kid”Sostre, 13-9-1, in Wilmington, DE. In Sostre’s previous two fights he defeated Chris Gilbert 11-0 and Kenny Galarza, 16-3.
In April of 2015 Robinson defended his WBO NABO title defeating Kyrgyzstan’s SherzodbekAlimjanov, 22-2, out of Uzbekistan, at Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, CT., over 10 rounds. Then after 18 months of inactivity due to an auto accident he returned in October of 2016 to defeat Nicaragua’s Santos Benavides, 25-10-2 by TKO4 at the SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. In his last fight he won by TKO2 over Nicaragua’s Eddie Palacios, 12-4-1, at the SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. On March 24th he will take on Brazil’s former champion ClaudineiLacerda, 18-16-1 at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, in the main event. There was a press conference there on Wednesday night.
From a contender in Robinson to the best looking prospect Philadelphia has seen since 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Meldrick Taylor is19 year-old Jaron “Boots” Ennis, 9-0 (8) who has won all 9 fights in 9 months and scheduled March 31st at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. He is managed by Cameron Dunkin and promoted by Victory Promotions. At the 2016 US Olympic Trials he defeated Gary Antuanne Russell, Tyrek Irby and Rahim Gonzales. He then lost back to back decisions to Russell. He was 43-3 in the amateur’s and is a former Golden Gloves champion.
In turning professional in St. George, Utah in April of 2016 Ennis rejected being the Olympic alternate. He won his first 5 fights by stoppage. He has also fought in Springfield, VA, and Rio Rancho, New Mexico while in Pennsylvania once in Bristol and 5 times in Philadelphia with a sixth coming up the end of the month.
After fighting in six 4 round bouts Ennis has fought his last 3 fights in scheduled 6 round bouts. He has scored 4 first round stoppages including in his last fight knocking out Nicaragua’s Elvin Perez, 28-16-4, the former WBC Latino super welterweight champion who has fought 34 of his 49 fights in Costa Rica. Ennis has only gone into the sixth round once.
