Malik Scott Believes Jaron Ennis Stops Keith Thurman

Jaron “Boots” Ennis has begged and pleaded with the rest of the upper echelon of the welterweight division to step foot in the ring against him.

Yet despite calling out the likes of Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, neither have paid much attention to the Philadelphia native as they continue to negotiate an undisputed matchup for later this year.

Although Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs) would love nothing more than to start his own championship run, the 25-year-old isn’t interested in sitting idly by as Crawford and Spence battle for welterweight supremacy.

Considering his lofty position, Ennis has now turned his attention to former unified 147-pound champion Keith Thurman. The Clearwater, Florida, product has shown little interest in appeasing Ennis’ wishes. However, he has warned Ennis to stay away from his continued attempts to antagonize him.

Ultimately, while Thurman believes it would simply be too much for the up-and-coming welterweight contender, Malik Scott, on the other hand, is convinced Ennis would chew Thurman up and spit him out.

“I think at this point, Boots is holding Keith Thurman,” Scott told a group of reporters. “And Keith Thurman is more than just a good fighter.”

Thurman, 33, has battled inactivity during the latter stages of his career. Since he came up short against Manny Pacquiao in July 2019, the former unified champion has been out of the ring for roughly two and a half years as he battled injuries.

In the end, Thurman would eventually complete his long and quiet rehab assignment. In his first fight on his way back, Thurman easily recorded a unanimous decision win against fringe contender Mario Barrios. In doing so, Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) has begun looking for his own title shot.

As for Ennis, he has quietly gone about his business while leaving a trail of welterweight bodies in his wake. Most recently, the budding star dismantled Custio Clayton on May 14, stopping the normally durable contender in the second round.

On paper, Scott shakes his head in approval as he scans the names currently plastered on Thurman’s resume. Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter, Josesito Lopez and a host of former champions and current contenders have fallen victim to Thurman’s stunning power. Still, even with Scott revering the former champion and holding him in high regard, the former heavyweight contender turned trainer is simply a firm believer in what Ennis brings to the table.

“When I give my opinion on Keith Thurman, I respect you brother. You have done much more than me and many others. My opinion is strictly from a craft point of view. I think Boots would stop Keith Thurman in the second half of the fight. It’s not because Keith Thurman is a bad fighter, it’s just that, that’s how good Boots is to me.