Key points:
- Josh Kelly’s team has agreed financial terms for a three-belt unification fight against Jaron Ennis
- Trainer Adam Booth says Ennis’s side has also verbally agreed, though only secondhand
- State Farm Arena in Atlanta is the expected venue, with late November or December targeted
- Kelly must defend a reactive, movement-based style against a fighter capable of closing distance behind combinations rather than single shots
Adam Booth’s already done his side of the job. Whether Ennis and Hearn move as fast is the only thing left standing between Kelly and the biggest fight of his career.
“We’ve agreed all the terms,” Booth told Tris Dixon. “And apparently, from what I’ve been told, so has Boots. We’re just waiting for the date.”
Kelly’s job is considerably harder than just surviving
His entire style depends on space and reading punches before they arrive. Ennis doesn’t give fighters single shots to read – he comes in behind combinations, forcing several defensive decisions in the same exchange. If Kelly spends the fight retreating in straight lines, he simply hands Ennis the time to close the gap and work the body.
Why Ennis wants this over Ortiz, for now
Kelly brings the IBF belt Ennis needs to leave with three titles at once. Fans keep asking for Vergil Ortiz Jr. This gets Ennis closer to undisputed first, which is a considerably cleaner sell to Hearn than another 50-50 gamble.