PHILADELPHIA - Twenty year old welterweight boxer Jaron "Boots" Ennis will honored as "The One to Watch" at the 11th Annual Briscoe Awards on March 25, 2018. Ennis, currently 18-0, 16 KOs, has been turning heads ever since he turned professional in 2016. After less than two years as a professional, Boots has convinced local boxing fans that he's destined to become a world champion.

"Ennis has every Philly boxing fan excited," said John DiSanto, founder of the Briscoe Awards. "He is the real thing and at the rate he's going, he'll be fighting for the title in another year."

Ennis is no stranger to the Briscoe Awards. He won the "Amateur of the Year" two years ago, and was named the "Rookie of the Year" last year. He returns to the Briscoe stage on March 25th to receive his third acknowledgement by Philly Boxing History.

The Briscoe Awards commemorate the biggest and best accomplishments of the Philly-area boxing scene. A total of eleven prizes will be given out in a variety of categories, including "Philly Fighter of the Year", "Philly Fight of the Year", "Knockout of the Year", "Amateur of the Year", "Rookie of the Year", "Prospect of the Year", and others.

Advance tickets for the March 25, 2018 Briscoe Awards cost $20 and are currently available for sale at BriscoeAwards.com, or by calling 609-377-6413. Tickets will not be sold at the door. The $20 admission includes food, draft beer, wine, soft drinks, and a souvenir program and ticket. The Briscoe Awards will be held at the VBA Clubhouse, 2733 Clearfield Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19134.

The Briscoe Awards are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501c3 Non-Profit organization dedicated to preserving and honoring the great legacy of boxing in and around the city of Philadelphia. For more information, call John DiSanto at 609-377-6413.

New York's legendary Madison Square Garden will be awash with St Patrick's Day celebrations on Saturday but the boxing hero fans are relying on to lead the party, Michael Conlan, must remain dispassionate.

In his first fight under new trainer Adam Booth, the gifted Irish featherweight faces a significant step up in class against heavy-handed Hungarian David Berna (15-2-KO14).

Conlan (5-0-KO4) said: "You could say this is my first real test but I'm more than ready. I've been to the pinnacle of amateur boxing so I know what it's like to feel the weight of a country's hope on my shoulders.

"Berna is a good fighter so I need to be focused on that. Once the job is done, then why wouldn't I go and celebrate victory and St Patrick's Day with all the people who've spent their hard-earned money to support me?

"I'm delighted with the support. It's been unbelievable and I'm very lucky to be Irish. Fighting on St Patrick's Day in front of so many people cheering for me is a dream come true."

Having excelled for his country in the unpaid ranks, Conlan is basing his professional career Stateside. In the Irish stronghold of The Big Apple, he's already feeling at home as he prepares to fight at The Garden a third time.

Conlan added: "I'm signed to Top Rank and Bob Arum, so it's great to have so many Irish people living in the U.S or travelling over to come and watch me fight.

"I had Conor McGregor ringwalk with me for my debut and that was nice because it was the first time. It was more of an event than a boxing match.

"Now, I don't mind who ringwalks with me. I can stand on my own and Madison Square Garden already feels like a home from home for me.

"I'm not the kind of fighter to start picking names out and talk trash about anyone but this time next year, I want to be challenging for world titles."

Boston Boxing Promotions has announced another fight for the Championship Boxing event to be held Saturday, April 28 at the Castleton Banquet and Conference Center in Windham, New Hampshire as Boston's Jarel Pemberton takes on New York's Borngod Washington in a four-round super middleweight fight.

Pemberton is a second generation boxer. His father Scott Pemberton finished his professional boxing career with a record of 29-5-1, with 24 big knockout wins. He challenged Jeff Lacy for the IBF super middleweight world championship in 2005, defeated longtime contender Omar Sheika twice in two all-time classics that are still staples of programming on ESPN Classic, and he fought in front of a sell-out crowd of over 10,000 fans amidst a blizzard at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence in his final fight of his career in 2006 against Peter Manfredo Jr.

Jarel Pemberton, a former member of the United States Marine Corps, is 2-0 as a pro boxer following an amateur career that saw him win the 2015 Rocky Marciano Tournament and New England Golden Gloves. He finished his amateur career with a record of 12-3.

"Every kid sees their dad as a real life action hero, but my father really felt like one," said Pemberton.

"I went to a lot of his fights when I was a kid. Now, as a pro boxer myself, it dawns on me how incredible his career was and how far he made it."

Now, Pemberton works on adding chapters to the Pemberton fighting family legacy himself as he takes on Borngod Washington on April 28 in Windham.

"My opponent in April is the most experienced guy I've ever fought. It'll be nice to take on someone who has been there and done that and test myself against a guy who knows how to handle himself in the ring no matter what I throw at him. I'm up for the challenge."

Borngod Washington is unfazed by Pemberton's amateur accomplishments and boxing pedigree.

"I'm looking forward to coming to New Hampshire for a good fight. If all goes well, I predict I will win a decision," said Washington.

"I'll be ready, and I'm sure he will be too."