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Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis will defend welterweight title vs. Karen Chukhadzhian at the Wells Fargo Center

The bout, scheduled for Nov. 9, will be Ennis' second title defense in South Philly this year. Ennis defeated Chukhadzhian by unanimous decision in their last fight in January 2023.

Germantown native Jaron Ennis knocked out his last opponent, David Avanesyan, in the fifth round at the Wells Fargo Center on July 13.
Germantown native Jaron Ennis knocked out his last opponent, David Avanesyan, in the fifth round at the Wells Fargo Center on July 13.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
    by Matt Breen
    Published 

Jaron Ennis will continue his residency at the Wells Fargo Center with his second title defense in South Philadelphia in four months.

Ennis (32-0, 29 knockouts) will defend his IBF welterweight title on Nov. 9 against Karen Chukhadzhian, the mandatory challenge for the title and an opponent he easily decisioned in January 2023.

Ennis, who grew up in Germantown and trains in Northeast Philadelphia, scored a knockout in July at the Wells Fargo Center against David Avanesyan. It was the first title fight in South Philadelphia since 2003 and drew 14,119 fans, signaling to Ennis’ British-based promoter that Philly’s only world champ can attract a hometown crowd.

» READ MORE: Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis won in his Philly homecoming. Is welterweight unification or Terence Crawford next?

”Boots’ return to Philly in July was a spectacular night,” said Ennis’ promoter, Eddie Hearn. “The fans and the city got right behind him, and I can’t wait to return there and keep building this superstar on his doorstep.”

Hearn planned to have Ennis fight this fall in a unification fight against one of the other 147-pound champions or position him against a bigger name. Neither of those fights came to fruition. Instead, they have to settle for a rematch of a fight that was rather lackluster. The card will be aired on DAZN. Chukhadzhian (24-2, 13 KOs) has won three straight since falling to Ennis as the Ukrainian climbed the IBF rankings to become the mandatory challenger.

The bout will be preceded by Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez — a pound-for-pound Top 10 fighter — defending his WBC super flyweight title against Pedro Guevara. The 24-year-old Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) won his WBC title in June with a knockout of Juan Francisco Estrada after delivering a punishing bodyshot. The 35-year-old Guevara (42-4-1, 22 KOs) has never fought in the U.S.

”I’m excited to be back headlining in my city again,” Ennis said. “I’m ready to continue dominating the division, making a big statement and showing everyone why I’m the best welterweight in the world. It’s time to have some fun, keep crushing whoever is in front of me, put on a beautiful, dominant, crushing performance in front of my family, friends, and supporters, while defending and retaining my IBF world title in spectacular fashion.”