Patience, while a virtue, is not always a valuable trait in the world of boxing. Normally, the loudest fighter with the best resume will get the best opportunities. More than ever before, fighters act as their own best promoters, using words to elicit reaction, near and far.
Josh Kelly currently holds the IBF light middleweight title. After outpointing Caoimhin Agyarko, Kelly felt that the post-fight was the opportune time to capture his moment.
Kelly, with a title defense and world title in his hands, stepped up to deliver a callout to Jaron “Boots” Ennis. Ennis captured the WBA and WBO light middleweight title with a seventh-round knockout of Xander Zayas. A little more than a year ago, he captured the WBA welterweight title.
Now, he stood atop the 154-pound world. Kelly realizes this and wants to be Ennis’ latest challenge.
“I want it next. People will be smiling looking at that, but [Agyarko is] a tricky night for anyone. Someone rushing in, diving in, heads, elbows, everything… He made it a tough night. I want the big names in the division; I already took out one big name in Bakhram Murtazaliev. Let me get the other ones.”
Kelly’s style could prove to be a challenge for Ennis on a myriad of fronts. First, his movement is awkward. Instead of a perfect, harmonious marriage between hands and feet, Kelly’s appendages appear to move independently of each other.
The herky-jerky style, although highly unconventional, gives opponents fits. Most importantly, Kelly’s ability to select proper punches in the right situations helps. For example, on the inside, he will throw hooks and uppercuts when in close before skipping out of the way with his head firmly away from the centerline
On the other hand, Ennis established himself as a problem for opponents. He is faster with his feet than most punchers. Traditionally, power punchers will need to set, sit, and throw almost cement-footed. In contrast, Ennis glides in, loads up, throws with ease, and slides away. Ennis still has others that want to cut ahead of Kelly.
At the same time, Ennis, when he feels like he has an opponent hurt, will attempt to end the fight by stepping on the metaphorical accelerator. The pressure exerted by Ennis disrupts the rhythm, turning a back-and-forth exchange into a one-sided flurry. Ennis seems ready for the fight.
For Kelly to stay viable in the fight, he will need to use his defensive skills to avoid Ennis’ power. The IBF champion lacks the power to turn this encounter into a highly watched fight. Can his defensive ability be the deciding factor?
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