It's time to give Jaron "Boots" Ennis his full bouquet of flowers.
Ennis (36-0, 32 KOs), the former unified welterweight champion, who was never able to draw fights against fellow elite champions, moved up to 154 pounds last weekend to capture a pair of junior middleweight titles from unbeaten Xander Zayas (23-1, 13 KOs) in Brooklyn, New York.
The fight was back-and-forth and exciting until the 29-year-old Ennis was able to pull away and walk through Zayas en route to a 7th-round TKO win. The victory opened up the door for renewed talks of a fight against unbeaten Vergil Ortiz Jr., who was forced to pull out of initial discussions following a dispute between his manager and promoter that led to a lawsuit.
The sublimely talented Ennis chose to fight in the trenches for the biggest fight of his career and showcase his toughness, which led to some questioning whether he took on more damage than he needed to. But his pressure eventually broke Zayas, forcing his corner to throw in the towel after three knockdowns and Ennis proved through stance switches and dynamic combinations that he remains the best fighter in his new division (until proven otherwise).
What a night for @JaronEnnis 😮💨#ZayasEnnis 🤳 pic.twitter.com/TLCkg4uOTc
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 28, 2026
The fact that "Boots," a native of Philadelphia, is so willing to fight makes him even more exciting to watch. But he just as likely could've produced a different but very similar result had he chose to box given the athletic advantages he has over so many of his opponents.
But can he take the pressure over 12 rounds from the likes of Ortiz or fellow titleholder Sebastian Fundora? That remains to be seen, as does whether Ennis would approach those fights completely different.
The best news for Ennis is that he's finally getting the chance to prove how great he is against top level competition. And so far, his combination of speed, power, fluid movement and the ability to be just as dangerous as a southpaw that he is in the orthodox stance make him unquestionably one of the best boxers in the world.
Pound-for-Pound Rankings
1. Naoya Inoue
Undisputed junior featherweight champion (33-0, 27 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 1
The four-division champion followed up a huge 2025, where he became the first boxer to defend the "Ring" title four times, by scoring a career-defining victory over countryman Junto Nakatani in May. The fight, which drew a sellout crowd of 55,000 inside the Tokyo Dome, was the biggest boxing event in Japanese history. The 33-year-old Inoue, who claimed a unanimous decision, further cemented his status as an all-time great.
2. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez
Unified junior bantamweight champion (24-0, 17 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 2
The 26-year-old phenom from San Antonio continues to build his case for inclusion in the argument of best fighter in the world. After an incredible 2025, that made him a finalist for fighter of the year, Rodriguez moved up to 118 pounds to open 2026 and scored a sixth-round knockout of Antonio Vargas to claim the WBA bantamweight title and a belt in his third weight class.
3. David Benavidez
Light heavyweight/cruiserweight titleholder (32-0, 26 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 3
At 29, "The Mexican Monster" took a major step forward to boxing immortality when he moved up 25 pounds to cruiserweight and knocked out unified champion Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez. The victory made Benavidez the first boxer in history to win titles at 168, 175 and 200 pounds. Benavidez plans to also become the first boxer to simultaneously defend light heavyweight and cruiserweight titles moving forward.
If you don't believe in Monsters you will now. Watch @Benavidez300 STOP Zurdo Ramirez and make boxing history on Cinco de Mayo. #BenavidezZurdo pic.twitter.com/NOw3hyGUki
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) May 3, 2026
4. Oleksandr Usyk
Heavyweight (25-0, 16 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 4
Usyk's professional run has been as decorated as it has been perfect. But the former two-time undisputed champ chose to vacate his trio of heavyweight titles in June to give other fighters a chance while he focuses on a retirement bout, likely against former champion Deontay Wilder. The 39-year-old Usyk is also fresh off of a major scare when he looked sluggish in a come-from-behind (and controversial) TKO of kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven.
5. Shakur Stevenson
WBO junior welterweight champion (25-0, 11 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 5
After silencing two years of criticism by standing in the pocket to hand unbeaten William Zepeda his first loss last July, Stevenson finally shared the ring with a fellow top 10 pound-for-pound great in lineal 140-pound champion Teofimo Lopez Jr. in January. The result was one of the most lopsided performances against an elite fighter in modern history as the 29-year-old Stevenson won 11 rounds on all three scorecards in a masterful showing.
6. Dmitry Bivol
Unified light heavyweight champion (24-1, 12 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 6
Bivol followed up his majority decision win over Artur Beterbiev in their 2025 rematch by sitting out the next 15 months to recover from back surgery. In May, the 35-year-old claimed a wide decision over mandatory challenger Michael Eifert in Russia. Bivol will have surgery on his elbow in July before a fall return, likely against top contender Callum Smith.
7. Jaron Ennis
Unified junior middleweight champion (36-0, 32 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 10
The former unified welterweight champion became the power player at 154 pounds in June when he scored a 7th-round TKO over unbeaten unified champion Xander Zayas. Not only did "Boots" prove his pound-for-pound level by switching dances and executing a dynamic offensive attack, he was willing to stand in the trenches and absorb punches in order to break his opponent down. Ennis, who has continued a war of words with a retired Terence Crawford, is likely on a path toward a rekindled showdown against undefeated Vergil Ortiz Jr.
8. Artur Beterbiev
Light heavyweight (21-1, 20 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 7
Beterbiev, the former undisputed king, dropped his incredibly close rematch with Dmitry Bivol in February 2025 but has yet to make it back to the ring since the majority decision loss. The 41-year-old legend has gone public with his belief that both Bivol and David Benavidez are actively avoiding him. Either fight would be one of the best the sport could make.
9. Devin Haney
Welterweight titleholder (33-0, 1 NC, 15 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 8
For all of the criticism he absorbed over his last two fights, Haney reminded everyone of his P4P talent and ring IQ in November when he dropped and handled unbeaten WBO welterweight titleholder Brian Norman Jr. to become a three-division champion. Haney looked stronger and more sturdy at 147 pounds after years of difficult weight cuts. He enters the second half of 2026 rumored to be in the discussion for a superfight against Shakur Stevenson.
10. Junto Nakatani
Junior featherweight (30-1, 23 KOs) | Previous ranking: No. 9
A two-division titleholder, Nakatani moved up to 122 pounds and got acclimated before challenging countryman and P4P king Naoya Inoue in May. The historic clash, held in front of 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome, saw Nakatani surge in the second half before Inoue held on for a close decision. After the fight, Nakatani went to the hospital for a broken orbital bone.
Dropped out: None Honorable mention: Canelo Alvarez, Vergil Ortiz Jr., Jai Opetaia, Oscar Collazo, Emanuel Navarette
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