- Jaron Ennis defends world title against late-replacement David Avanesyan on July 13
- More than 10k tickets sold and now the Ennis vs Avanesyan Undercard is also confirmed
- New Matchroom signing Jalil Hackett steps up to face former Conor Benn opponent
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis defends his IBF World Welterweight title against replacement opponent David Avanesyan at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, July 13, live on DAZN.
In his first fight as a World Champion, Ennis (31-0 28 KOs) will return to fight in his hometown for the first time since November 2018.
The 26-year-old, born and raised in Germantown, returns to action just over a year since his stylish 10th-round KO win over Roiman Villa in Atlantic City. During that fight, Ennis successfully defended his interim title before being elevated to full champion.
The man looking to spoil the party is former WBA (regular) champion Avanesyan (30-4-1, 18 KOs). Ava is most notable for his sixth-round TKO loss to Terence Crawford in December 2022.
The Armenian has wins over Josh Kelly, Kerman Lejarraga and Shane Mosley.
Ennis vs Avanesyan Undercard
Highly rated prospect Jalil Hackett will face Peter Dobson in his Matchroom debut.
Hackett (8-0 7 KOs) penned a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom at the end of May, and his first action with his new promoter pitches him in deep waters in just his ninth pro fight and meets Dobson over ten rounds for the WBA Continental North America Welterweight title.
Dobson (16-1 9 KOs) enters the fight having taken British star Conor Benn the distance in Las Vegas in February, and the New Yorker will be looking to bounce back from his first defeat by halting the progress of the hotly-tipped 21-year-old tyro.
Skye Nicolson will make the maiden defence of her WBC World Featherweight title against Dyana Vargas.
Nicolson (10-0 1 KO) won her WBC crown at a canter in her first World title fight in February in Las Vegas, pitching a shut-out on two of the cards over Dane Sarah Mahfoud.
For her first defence, the Australian fights in the States for the fifth time in the paid ranks and puts her belt on the line against Vargas (18-1 12 KOs), the Dominican who fights outside her homeland for the first time and in her maiden World title tilt.
Khalil Coe will make the short journey from New Jersey to Philadelphia to fight for his first title, as he meets Manuel Gallegos over ten rounds for the USWBC Light-Heavyweight strap.
Coe (8-0-1 6 KOs) has looked ferocious in his recent fights, ending his last four outings inside the distance, and will look to pick up his first belt against Mexican Gallegos (20-2-1 17 KOs) who moves up to 175lbs after taking on Super-Middleweight sensation Diego Pacheco last time out in Los Angeles in July.
An all-Puerto Rican affair is also announced today for the WBA Continental Latin America Super-Featherweight title between Henry Lebron and Christopher Diaz.
Lebron (19-0 10 KOs) has signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom and will look to claim his first title against two-time World title challenger Diaz (28-4 18 KOs).
Elsewhere on the card, Philadelphia duo Christian Carto (22-1 15 KOs) and Boots Promotions’ Ismail Muhammad (4-0 3 KOs) fight over eight rounds at Super-Bantamweight and six rounds at Welterweight respectively, while there’s a pro debut for another Philly native, as Dennis Thompson steps through the ropes in the paid ranks for the first time over four rounds at Bantamweight, with all three fighters to be matched soon.
Ennis vs Avanesyan Start Time, TV Channel, Ring Walks, Tickets
Ennis vs Avanesyan Time (Main Card): 1 am BST (8 pm ET)
Ennis vs Avanesyan TV Channel: DAZN
Ennis vs Avanesyan Ring Walks: 4 am BST (11 pm ET)
READ: Canelo vs Crawford, Shakur Stevenson In STACKED 5v5 Card Reportedly In The Works
