LONDON — Super welterweight champions Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Josh Kelly are lined up for a three-belt unification this winter, with promoter Eddie Hearn confirming plans for the Matchroom stablemates to meet in "either December or very early January."
Hearn outlined the timeline during an interview with Pro Boxing Fans, stating both sides are aligned on the matchup. Kelly's trainer Adam Booth had previously told Tris Dixon that the fighters have agreed to all terms and are now waiting only on a date and venue, a process simplified with both men competing under the Matchroom banner.
Ennis (36-0, 32 KO) enters as the unified WBA and WBO champion at 154 pounds. He claimed the WBA title in his super welterweight debut against Uisma Lima last year and then outgunned Xander Zayas to lift the WBO belt in June. Kelly (19-1-1, 9 KO) rebuilt after a 2021 defeat to David Avanesyan and a narrow escape against Ishmael Davis, upsetting Bakhram Murtazaliev to win the IBF title in January before defending against Caiominh Agyarko.
Ennis will enter as a heavy favorite, but Kelly has earned credit for taking the challenge after his career resurgence. A long-discussed grudge match between Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr. has not regained momentum after Ortiz's team settled matters with Golden Boy. The winner of Ennis-Kelly could later be positioned against the winner of Sebastian Fundora vs Ermal Hadribeaj later this month if the PBC and DAZN sides can align.