Jaron \u201cBoots\u201d Ennis somehow inherited two mandatories with his latest title win.<\/p>\n
A prior WBA ruling will require the unbeaten and unified welterweight titlist to next face Uzbekistan\u2019s Shakhram Giyasov within 120 days of his April 12 stoppage win over Eimantas Stanionis. The winner of that fight will then have to commit to a title consolidation bout with whomever prevails in the May 2 Ryan Garcia-Rolando Romero meeting in New York City.<\/p>\n
The ordered title fight with Giyasov was a condition placed to first allow Ennis, 34-0 (30 KOs), and Stanionis, 15-1 (9 KOs), to enter their IBF\/WBA unification bout in Atlantic City, New Jersey.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ennis delivered a tour de force in prompting Stanionis\u2019 corner to stop the fight after six one-sided rounds. The win saw Philadelphia\u2019s Ennis defend his IBF welterweight title and claim the WBA strap.<\/p>\n
Giyasov stopped Franco Ocampo in the fourth round on the DAZN-streamed undercard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNotably, Giyasov previously stepped aside to allow a unification bout between Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis, despite being next in line for a title shot,\u201d the WBA stated in a ruling made public on Tuesday. \u201cPer WBA rules, Ennis must face Giyasov within 120 days of his April 12 victory over Stanionis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ennis has since been upgraded to \u201csuper\u201d champion status by the WBA, which \u2013 as previously reported by this writer<\/a> \u2013 has allowed a secondary version of the belt to be at stake for the Garcia-Romero fight. The winner will claim the WBA \u201cworld\u201d title along with an immediate shot at the primary title.<\/p>\n \u201cAccording to WBA Rule C.17: \u201cIn exceptional circumstances, the Championships Committee and the President may designate a Champion as a Super Champion; and may establish criteria for a Super Championship,\u201d the sanctioning body stated. \u201cThe Committee and President may determine conditions and requirements of defenses and retention of such title.<\/p>\n \u201cActing within its regulatory authority, the WBA has elevated Ennis to Super Champion status, while Garcia and Romero will battle for the vacant WBA World Welterweight Championship \u2013 adding even more heat to an already explosive 147-pound division.\u201d<\/p>\n The double-stacked mandatories all but kills any hopes for Ennis to further unify at welterweight. It will likely also end his stay in the division, as his time at 147lbs was conditional on his getting a chance to become undisputed champion.\u00a0<\/p>\n Should Ennis abandon his \u201csuper\u201d title either before or after his fight with Giyasov, the Garcia-Romero winner will be recognized as the primary WBA welterweight titleholder.<\/p>\n Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n