ATLANTIC CITY – Jaron “Boots” Ennis is relishing the prospect of following in the footsteps of Floyd Mayweather on Saturday, when he fights Eimantas Stanionis for the IBF and WBA welterweight titles.

The IBF champion and Stanionis, the WBA titlist from Lithuania, fight at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to establish themselves as the world’s finest at 147lbs – a status that belonged to Mayweather when one of the finest of all welterweights was at his peak.

That Ennis, 27, has long been recognized as the future of his decorated weight division means that he has come to be seen as a potential successor to Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford as a modern-day welterweight great. More relevant, to his mind, is the fact that Mayweather defeated Arturo Gatti at the Boardwalk Hall to win his first title at junior welterweight in 2005; Ennis also said as much on the day after he reiterated that Mayweather, Roy Jones Jnr, Pernell Whitaker and James Toney are those who inspire him the most when he is in the ring.

Saturday’s contest, so close to Ennis’s home city of Philadelphia, follows successive fights against David Avanesyan and Karen Chukhadzhian at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center since his agreeing to promotional terms with Matchroom led to him being built as an attraction there.

If those plans tempted Ennis to join them after a period working with Premier Boxing Champions – he had also fought in Atlantic City when beating Roiman Villa in his previous fight, yet at the Boardwalk Hall’s Ballroom instead of where Mayweather was so impressive against Gatti – he told BoxingScene: “Atlantic City got a lot of history. Moments, and things like that here. The time was for an Atlantic City fight; Floyd fought here; he fought Gatti here, so I’m trying to stay working on Atlantic City here.

“I just didn’t want to burn out Philadelphia. I fought in Philadelphia – this would have been the third time, if I’d fought Stanionis in Philly. There’s no need for that.

“The first fight I had in Philly, it was 15,000 – we almost sold it out. That was one of the biggest fights in Philadelphia history – I was glad I was here to do that. Just fighting in Philadelphia is always great for me, but I wanted to switch it up a little bit and bring this to Atlantic City.

“There’s not no pressure when you’re fighting in Philly. It’s just – it do be a lot because everybody’s asking for stuff, and things like that, when I’m fighting in Philly. But it’s not no pressure. But I’m coming wherever we’re at. We could be in his living room – it don’t matter where it’s at. I really don’t care.”

Ennis’ career was among those that stalled until Crawford and Errol Spence finally, in 2023, fought for the undisputed welterweight title, and after his elevation to IBF champion he was frustrated by the sanctioning body ordering him to fight Chukhadzhian in November 2024 when he had already convincingly defeated the Ukrainian in January 2023. 

In the 30-year-old Stanionis, from Lithuania, he has been presented with an ambitious opponent who also brings with him the WBA title, and therefore the nature of occasion Ennis has long sought and that was missing when he struggled to motivate himself for his rematch with Chukhadzhian.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “It’s everything I’ve always wanted. I’m finally getting what I want; finally getting what I deserve, and it’s them belts. Not fighting these random guys, and guys I beat already – it was pointless fights. But now I’m excited, and I’m glad I’m finally getting what I want, and that’s a whole different type of motivation. 

“I’m going to make a statement. I’m going to make a statement on Saturday night – it’s a whole different motivation, plus I’m looking for two more belts. I’m fighting for a belt that I’ve always wanted – the Ring Magazine belt – and the WBA, so here’s everything I want. We’re going to have fun.

“Everybody knew I didn’t want to fight [Chukhadzhian] – I had to. They enforced the mandatory on me; I already beat him the year before that. It was pointless. People don’t understand – it’s hard to get up for fights like that. It’s hard to get up for fights with guys like that. It is what it is.

“We’re just locked in on, focusing on, what’s in front of me. I ain’t worried about what nobody else has been saying, or things like that. We’re just focused on what’s in front of me, and getting the job done, come Saturday. That’s it.

“Not only Philadelphia, everywhere I go, people know who I am – it’s crazy now. This is since I’ve been boxing, period. Since I had my first TV fight everybody’s been noticing me more; it’s been getting bigger and bigger, each and every time.

“On Saturday you gonna see me in there having fun. Putting on a show; looking great; a flawless performance. Not looking for the knockout; if the knockout comes… I’m having fun. Don’t get up to get no popcorn; don’t move; keep your eyes open.”