Jaron Ennis Outpoints Karen Chukhadzhian Again in Sleeper

IBF welterweight champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) retained his title with a unanimous decision victory over mandatory challenger Karen Chukhadzhian (24-3, 13 KOs) at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center on April 6, 2024. The scores were 119-107, 117-109, and 116-110.

This second meeting between the fighters, mandated by the IBF, mirrored their initial January 2022 encounter in its lack of sustained action. The primary differences were a fifth-round knockdown scored by Ennis via right uppercut and a point deduction from Chukhadzhian in round 10 for excessive holding.

The Ukrainian challenger showed more offensive intent early than in their first bout but frequently neutralized exchanges through clinching. After receiving warnings, referee Harvey Dock penalized Chukhadzhian in the tenth round for persistent holding.

Despite controlling most rounds, Ennis displayed defensive lapses throughout the contest, allowing Chukhadzhian to land clean shots, particularly in round nine. The champion's pursuit of a knockout after the fifth-round knockdown led to occasional sloppy exchanges that benefited the challenger.

Post-fight, Ennis acknowledged his performance suffered from facing lower-tier opposition, stating, "When you're fighting bottom-tier guys, sometimes you can't get up for them. When I fight top guys, I'm going to be way better. I need top guys."

The victory marked Ennis's second defence of his IBF welterweight title but raised questions about his development without elite-level opposition.