Notebook: Ennis pumped for Philly homecoming vs. Crowley
Cameron splits from Matchroom, signs with Queensberry; first videos from my new exclusive YouTube home; Collazo defense set; Quick hits; Show and tell
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IBF welterweight titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis is going home for his first defense.
Ennis will make his mandatory defense against Cody Crowley on July 13 (DAZN) at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn announced Thursday, fulfilling his promise to Ennis to give him a homecoming fight in their first bout together.
Ennis has not fought in Philadelphia since November 2018, when he knocked out Raymond Serrano in the second round at the 2300 Arena.
“I’m excited for my homecoming especially being the first to fight at the Wells Fargo Center (since it was named that), the biggest arena in Philly,” Ennis said. “I can’t wait to show out and put on a beautiful, dominating, crushing performance in front of my family, friends and supporters while defending and retaining my IBF world title in spectacular fashion. I’m ready to step on any and everybody that’s in my way.”
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Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs), 26, will be making his first defense since being elevated to the full titleholder in November when then-undisputed champion Terence Crawford was stripped by the IBF for declining to enter negotiations for the mandatory defense, citing a contractual obligation to a rematch with Errol Spence Jr. The rematch didn’t happen before the window for it to take place expired and now Crawford is moving up to junior middleweight for a world title challenge against Israil Madrimov on Aug. 3.
Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs), 31, a Canadian southpaw fighting out of Las Vegas, will fight for the first time since a majority decision win over former world title challenger Abel Ramos on the David Benavidez-Caleb Plant card in March 2023 in Las Vegas.
“Ten years ago, I arrived in Las Vegas with a dream of becoming world champion, unbroken by the sport,” Crowley said. “The only thing left to do is prove to the world in the City of Brotherly Love that I am an undefeated champion. My spirit is unbeatable and I will fight for those who are too scared to fight.
“I will become the greatest in the world for my dad, who I love and miss dearly, my home country of Canada, and for world peace, so that others do not have to endure the same suffering. There is nothing anyone can do to break me. There is nothing I am not ready for. This next chapter is already written.”
Soon after signing Ennis, Hearn won an April 23 purse bid for right to promote the bout with an offer of $3,910,000 to beat the a bid of $2 million by Crowley promoter TGB Promotions, which puts on all the PBC events. The purse split is 85-15 in Ennis’ favor, meaning he is entitled to $3,323,500 and Crowley $586,500.
“I am thrilled to be able to deliver a homecoming defense for Boots,” Hearn said. “Jaron is the next American star in boxing and sports stars. This is just the beginning for Jaron in Philadelphia.”
Cameron signs with Queensberry
Former undisputed women’s junior welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron and Matchroom Boxing announced they had agreed to part ways this week with Cameron securing a release from her contract on Wednesday and then immediately signing with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.
That deal was announced on Friday with her first fight of the agreement slated to be announced next week..
With Matchroom Boxing, Cameron (18-1, 8 KOs), 32, of England, twice had major fights with superstar Katie Taylor. Cameron won a majority decision in a sensational battle with the then-undisputed lightweight champion in her Irish homecoming last May in an upset to retain the undisputed junior welterweight title via majority decision.
Taylor invoked her right to an immediate rematch and, in another epic battle, Taylor won the title by majority decision in November, again in Dublin, Ireland, in the 2023 Fight Freaks Unite women’s fight of the year.
There were plans for a trilogy fight, but Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs), 37, had a change of heart and her promoter, Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, was able to work out a more lucrative deal for Taylor to defend her new crown against unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano in a rematch of their instant classic battle in April 2022 when Taylor won a split decision to retain the undisputed lightweight title.
Cameron was very upset not to get the trilogy fight, which led the split with Matchroom.
“I’m very grateful to Frank Warren and George (Warren). They’re going to back me to the top, get my belts back and show everyone that my last defeat, it will never happen again,” Cameron said. “I don't think Katie actually wants to fight me again. She had the chance, and I thought the trilogy was signed and ready to go. I know that DAZN wanted the fight and everyone was keen for it. But Katie and her manager, they had other plans and they didn't want the fight. If she pulls through Amanda Serrano, which I don't think she actually will, then if Serrano is going to be undisputed champion, I'd love a chance to face her as well, another great fight.”
Warren also announced that he has signed Aadam Hamed (1-0, 1 KO), 23, of England, son of Hall of Fame former featherweight champion Prince Naseem Hamed, who he promoted for most of his career. Aadam turned pro with a first-round knockout win in August on the Oleksandr Usyk-Daniel Dubois card Warren co-promoted in Wroclaw, Poland.
Title Sports Network
Announcement time: My exclusive YouTube home will now be on the Title Sports Network channel. I will appear regularly every week, so subscribe to the channel for my content and more! This week we did our first two videos. In the first one in the Canelo-Munguia media center we discussed the fight; the blow up between Canelo and Oscar De La Hoya; looked back at Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney; and looked ahead to Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk and Mike Tyson-Jake Paul. The second video was shot soon after in my hotel room after I broke the news of Garcia’s failed drug tests related to the Haney fight. Make sure to check out both videos here:
Collazo-Zapata official
WBO strawweight titlist Oscar Collazo will make his third defense against Geraldo Zapata in the main event of a Golden Boy card on June 7 (DAZN) at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, as part of the International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend in nearby Canastota, the promoter announced.
“I feel honored to fight in New York where the boxing world has its eye and in a great week for Puerto Ricans,” Collazo said. “I will be in anticipation of the induction of Diego Corrales, Ricky Hatton and especially (Puerto Rican countryman) Ivan Calderon. It is an honor and I will continue working to one day be able to be together with great immortals like Miguel Cotto, Felix Trinidad and the great Muhammad Ali.
“I feel very good about our third defense against Zapata, a good fighter who will bring out the best in me. Very well prepared as usual, focused on proving once again that we are the best in my category.”
Collazo (9-0, 7 KOs), 27, a Puerto Rican southpaw, is coming off an impressive third-round knockout of Reyneris Gutierrez in January. Zapata (14-1-1, 5 KOs), 29, of Nicaragua, suffered a second-round disqualification loss to Rene Santiago in December 2022 followed by a 10-round split draw with Azael Villar in August.
“I am very happy and excited with an opportunity to fight for a world championship,” Zapata said. “I am always ready to perform. I could fight any style and make the adjustments. There will be a war on June 7 in New York.”
Boxing Social appearance
I joined my friends at Boxing Social in the Canelo-Munguia media center to discuss the big fight as well as Mike Tyson-Jake Paul being sanctioned as an official fight; the beef between promoters Eddie Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya and the one between Floyd Mayweather and Gervonta Davis; and the prospect of Deontay Wilder vs. Jared Anderson.
iFL TV appearance
I joined my friends from iFL TV in the Canelo-Munguia media center to discuss the fight as well as the back and forth between promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn and the beef between Floyd Mayweather and Gervonta Davis heating up once again. Check out the video here:
BetUS Boxing Show
If you missed the BetUS Boxing Show live at 1 p.m. ET on Friday on YouTube, please check out the replay (and also subscribe to the YouTube channel). We previewed and picked three fights: Canelo Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight title defense against Jaime Munguia on Saturday night, WBC interim welterweight titlist Mario Barrios’ defense against Fabian Maidana in the co-feature; and undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue’s defense against Luis Nery on Monday in Tokyo. We also took viewer questions and comments and discussed the latest boxing news! Please check out the show here:
Quick hits
WBA lightweight titlist Gervonta “Tank” Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) and challenger Frank Martin (18-0, 12 KOs) will meet face to face at the kickoff news conference on Saturday at the MGM Grand, which will also play host their main event on June 15 (PBC on Prime PPV, PPV.com). David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), who is moving up to light heavyweight, and former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs), who meet for the vacant WBC interim light heavyweight belt in the co-feature, will also be on hand.
The Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk undisputed heavyweight title fight on May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia will be available via ESPN+ PPV (12 p.m. ET) in the United States, Top Rank and ESPN announced. It was long expected but the paperwork has been completed. The event will also be available via PPV.com, DAZN PPV and traditional linear and satellite PPV. The card also will feature several other bouts, including the lineal cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia in a rematch with Mairis Briedis for the vacant IBF title in the co-feature.
Flamboyant light heavyweight prospect Ben Whittaker (7-0, 5 KOs), 26, a 2020 British Olympic silver medalist, will face Ezra Arenyeka (12-0, 10 KOs), 28, of Nigeria, on June 15 (Peacock in U.S., Sky Sports in U.K.) at Selhurst Park in London, Boxxer announced. The bout was added to the card headlined by WBO cruiserweight titlist Chris Billam-Smith’s mandatory defense against Richard Riakporhe.
England’s Robbie Davies Jr. (23-4, 15 KOs), 34, and former junior welterweight titlist Sergey Lipinets (17-3-1, 13 KOs), 35, a Kazakhstan native fighting out of Woodland Hills, California, will square off in the main event of the ProBox TV card on Wednesday night in Plant City, Florida. Davies, who is making is American debut, is returning from a 14-layoff due to injury. Lipinets is coming off a 10-round decision loss to Michel Rivera in November.
Show and tell
Like many of the official programs produced by SP Boxing in recent years, the one for the Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia fight on Saturday night contains two trading cards. Both Canelo and Munguia have previous cards in the set so for this one Canelo is pictured with his trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso and Munguia is pictured with his legendary trainer, Hall of Famer Freddie Roach. Here is what they both look like and, of course, I will be getting some of each for my collection. I am proud to have written the card backs for every card in the set.
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Photo: Cameron: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
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Crowley on paper has the best resume of anyone Ennis has fought.
If pressed to watch only one of the above listed fights I’m pickin Fury-Usyk, with Benavidez-Gvozdyk as a consolation…the rest are just not revving up my excitement level 🤷♂️🥊