Ennis to debut at 154 in WBA final eliminator vs Lima in Philadelphia

Jaron "Boots" Ennis will make his junior middleweight debut on Saturday, October 11, in a WBA title eliminator against Uisma Lima at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, a fight that could determine his next move in the 154 pound division. Ennis, 34-0 with 30 knockouts, moved up from welterweight after struggling to make 147 pounds and vacating the IBF welterweight title in July 2025. Lima, 14-1 with 10 knockouts, is a 32-year-old veteran from Angola who has not been stopped in his professional career.

The bout is officially a WBA junior middleweight final eliminator, with the winner positioned to challenge for the WBA title held by Abass Baraou. Promoter Eddie Hearn has said the fight is intended to set up a bigger showdown, possibly with Vergil Ortiz Jr. in early 2026, though that matchup remains unconfirmed. Trainer Derek Bozy predicted a dominant showing from Ennis, saying he expects "a devastating performance" in Ennis's debut at 154.

Ennis has framed the move up in weight as necessary to preserve his health and accelerate his career. He told DAZN that he had struggled to make welterweight for the last two years and decided to stop attempting to become undisputed at...