For years, Jaron “Boots” Ennis has been viewed as one of the most gifted fighters in boxing. The talent was never in question. His speed, ability to switch stances, punching power, ring IQ, and offensive creativity made many believe he was destined to become one of boxing’s pound-for-pound greats.

The only question that remained was whether he would prove it against elite opposition.

Against Xander Zayas, Boots answered a lot of those questions.

Now it’s time to stop fighting tune-up fights. No more B-level or C-level opposition. From this point forward, every fight should be about building a legacy. If Boots wants to be remembered alongside Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, and Terence Crawford, then every fight has to move his legacy forward.

What This Fight Told Us About Boots

From the opening bell, Boots looked locked in.

Within seconds, he established his jab, controlled the distance, and immediately let Zayas know who was dictating the fight. His speed was too much, his combinations were flowing, and he was landing almost at will. The first two rounds looked exactly like the kind of performance many of us expected.

Then came Round 3.

Round 3 Changed the Fight

Round 3 was the most important round of Boots’ career—not because he lost it, but because it showed us something we hadn’t really seen before.

After even dropping Zayas early, few expected the momentum to swing so dramatically in Round 3.

Zayas began finding a home for his right hand. The first one got Boots’ attention, and another right hand visibly shook him. For the first time in a long time, Boots looked vulnerable.

What fascinated me wasn’t just that he got caught.

It was the way his body and his mind reacted differently.

His body language suggested he had been hurt, but mentally he never accepted it. He kept firing back and refused to retreat. His punches didn’t seem to carry the same authority during that stretch, but he never stopped believing he was in control.

That confusion is exactly what made the round so compelling.

After the fight, Boots admitted what happened.

“I got a little lazy on the inside and got caught, but I was cool.”

I actually appreciate that honesty.

Great offensive fighters sometimes take risks because they’re looking for the finish. That’s exactly what happened here. Against someone as talented as Zayas, one lapse in concentration was enough to completely change the momentum.

For a few minutes, every boxing fan was on the edge of their seat.

The Difference Between Good Fighters and Great Fighters

What impressed me most wasn’t that Boots got caught.

It was how he responded.

Round 3 belonged to Zayas, and parts of Round 4 were competitive as well. But once Boots regained his composure, the fight went back in one direction.

If there was one lesson to take from this fight, it came in Round 3. Boots admitted afterward that he became impatient while looking for the finish, and against elite opposition, those brief lapses can completely change a fight. The encouraging part wasn’t that he made the mistake—it was that he recognized it, adjusted immediately, and never allowed it to happen again.

Interestingly, this is something both Andre Ward and Roy Jones Jr. discussed after the fight. Ward pointed out that highly offensive fighters often take calculated risks when they sense an opponent is ready to be finished. Fighters like Boots and Terence Crawford don’t simply settle for winning rounds—they go looking for the knockout, and in doing so they sometimes put themselves in range to be hit.

We’ve seen this throughout boxing history. Gennady Golovkin was one of the best examples. Golovkin often trusted his chin and overwhelming punching power enough to absorb a clean shot if it meant landing one of his own. That style worked because he possessed extraordinary durability and devastating power.

The difference here is that Boots himself acknowledged he simply got a little lazy on the inside. Against elite opponents, those moments can be the difference between winning and losing. Recovering from the mistake against Zayas was impressive, but against the very best fighters in the sport, he can’t afford to give away those opportunities.

He returned to boxing behind his jab, mixed his attacks beautifully, and systematically broke Zayas down.

The knockdown in Round 5 completely shifted the momentum again, and by Round 7 the punishment had become too much.

After the third knockdown and another barrage from Boots, Zayas’ corner threw in the towel to protect their fighter.

In my view, he had been mentally broken.

Forcing the corner of a young, undefeated, hungry world champion to throw in the towel is no small achievement.

That tells you everything about Boots’ mentality.

A Fight Fans Will Remember

This wasn’t just another dominant performance.

It was entertaining.

Round 3 gave me genuine Gatti-Ward vibes—not because the fight reached the historic level of that legendary trilogy, but because, for a few unforgettable minutes, momentum swung dramatically, both fighters were landing meaningful punches, and the atmosphere inside Barclays Center completely changed.

Those moments remind us why boxing remains one of the greatest sports in the world.

Every fan who bought a ticket got their money’s worth.

More importantly, this fight reminded us what boxing looks like when elite fighters meet before their prime has passed. There were no excuses, no endless negotiations, and no waiting for the perfect moment. Two undefeated champions stepped into the ring with everything to lose, and the sport was better for it.

What This Victory Means for the 154-lb Division

For years, the conversation around Boots always came with an asterisk.

“He’s incredibly talented… but who has he beaten?”

That question carried some weight because, despite all his ability, he lacked the signature victory that convinces everyone.

I don’t think that’s the case anymore.

Beating an undefeated unified champion in Xander Zayas wasn’t just another win. It established Boots as one of the leading fighters at junior middleweight and removed the biggest question mark on his résumé.

The road to becoming undisputed now feels much clearer. Sebastian Fundora, Vergil Ortiz Jr., and any other champion or top contender at 154 pounds now have a reason to look at Boots as the man to beat. Boots himself has made it clear that his goal is to unify the division, and this victory gives him the credibility to demand those fights.

Elite victories don’t just earn you belts.

They change how an entire division sees you.

Why I Still Believe Boots Beats Terence Crawford

I’ve believed for years that Boots is the fighter most capable of beating Terence Crawford.

Not because he’s more skilled.

In my opinion, they’re equally gifted.

Both can switch stances effortlessly.

Both possess fight-ending power.

Both have elite conditioning.

Both have outstanding ring IQ.

Both have shown they can be caught clean.

The difference for me is age.

If Crawford decides to come out of retirement to fight Boots, he’ll be approaching 40 years old. History has shown us time and again that Father Time is undefeated.

That gives a prime Boots a significant advantage.

I also don’t agree with the argument that because Zayas landed clean shots, Crawford would automatically knock Boots out.

Boxing doesn’t work like that.

By the same logic, what happens if Boots lands on Crawford the way Yuriorkis Gamboa and Egidijus Kavaliauskas did?

Every elite fighter gets hit.

What separates the great ones is how they recover.

Against Crawford, Boots cannot afford the kind of lapse he admitted to in Round 3. He has to stay switched on for every second of the fight.

If he does, I genuinely believe he has a real chance of winning.

The One Area Where Crawford Still Has the Edge

There is one difference I noticed watching this fight.

When Boots was shaken in Round 3, there was a brief moment where many fans wondered whether the fight might be turning against him.

I’ve never really had that feeling watching Crawford.

Even when Crawford was hurt by Gamboa or Kavaliauskas, I always felt he was in complete control of the situation.

That’s not a criticism of Boots.

It’s a compliment to Crawford’s composure.

Ironically, it’s also why I want this fight more than ever.

The Crawford-Spence fight turned out to be one-sided.

Boots vs. Crawford feels different.

It feels like the competitive superfight we all wanted.

If it ever happens, I genuinely believe we’re in for one of the biggest nights boxing has seen in years.

The Resume Debate

Critics have questioned Boots’ résumé for years.

Some of that criticism has been fair.

Inside boxing, however, people have known about his talent since he was a teenager.

Irish professional Tyrone McKenna once recalled sparring a 16-year-old Boots while he himself was a 23-year-old professional. Expecting an easy session against a teenager with only two amateur fights, McKenna instead said Boots “absolutely destroyed” him and admitted he couldn’t hit him for the life of him. The experience impressed him so much that he joined Bozy Ennis’ gym and sparred Boots for the next two years. After later facing world-class fighters and world champions during his own career, McKenna’s conclusion remained the same: “No one comes close to Boots.“

Stories like that are why Boots’ name was linked with Crawford years before he became a world champion.

The frustration has never been about his talent.

It’s been about the names on his résumé.

This victory finally gave Boots the signature win his résumé had been missing.

The conversation has shifted from whether Boots belongs at the elite level to how great he can become.

The Road to Greatness

This is where Boots’ legacy really begins.

Looking at the current landscape, I genuinely believe Boots becomes the undisputed champion at junior middleweight. I don’t see another fighter at 154 pounds who possesses his combination of speed, athleticism, offensive creativity, adaptability, and ring IQ. Sebastian Fundora’s size and awkward style present unique challenges, while Vergil Ortiz Jr. brings relentless pressure and devastating punching power, but I still favor Boots against both. His ability to make adjustments during fights is what separates him.

Once that goal is accomplished, I think the move to middleweight is the natural next step. Champions like Janibek Alimkhanuly and Carlos Adames are outstanding fighters, but I believe a prime Boots has the tools to beat both. His versatility, footwork, hand speed, and ability to fight effectively from either stance would make him a serious threat to every champion at 160 pounds.

If Crawford decides to return, make that fight happen. Then move up and chase greatness in another division.

That’s how legends are built.

Talent makes people believe in you.

Victories over elite fighters make history remember you.

Eddie Hearn’s Role

I also think signing with Eddie Hearn was one of the smartest moves Boots could have made.

Love him or hate him, Hearn understands how to build major fights.

More importantly, he has already shown he was willing to make risky fights by pursuing Vergil Ortiz Jr. before circumstances changed.

Boots now has a promoter capable of helping secure the fights boxing fans actually want.

The hard part isn’t convincing people that Boots is special.

We’ve known that for years.

The hard part is building a résumé that matches his extraordinary talent.

After Saturday night, I believe Boots has finally taken that first real step.

The talent has always been there.

Now it’s time to build a legacy.