Jaron “Boots” Ennis, a formidable presence in the boxing world, has formally relinquished his International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight title. This strategic decision aligns with his previously announced intention to advance into the junior middleweight division, signaling a new chapter in his impressive career. The IBF's recently updated rankings confirm his official departure from the welterweight championship.

The unbeaten Philadelphia native, 28 years old, had already indicated his shift to a higher weight class through social media. Ennis, with a pristine record of 34 victories and 30 knockouts, initially secured the interim IBF belt in January 2023 following a dominant performance against Karen Chukhadzhian. He further solidified his standing with a tenth-round knockout of Roiman Villa in July of the same year.

His ascension to full IBF titleholder status occurred in November 2023, after Terence Crawford, who had unified all four welterweight titles by defeating Errol Spence, opted not to compete at 147 pounds again. Ennis then successfully defended his full title on three occasions. These defenses included a five-round stoppage of David Avanesyan in July 2024, a unanimous decision in a more closely contested rematch with Chukhadzhian last November, and a sixth-round stoppage of Eimantas Stanionis this past April. The victory over Stanionis also unified the IBF title with the WBA title and the vacant Ring Magazine championship.

While the IBF has acknowledged his vacancy, the World Boxing Association (WBA) website, as of its July 1 update, still lists Ennis as their titleholder. Rolando “Rolly” Romero, the current WBA secondary “regular” titleholder, is expected to be elevated following Ennis’s official exit from the division. With the IBF belt now vacant, it is anticipated that the impending rematch between top-ranked Lewis Crocker and third-ranked Paddy Donovan—the second spot currently being open—will likely transition from an elimination bout to a contest for the vacant championship.

This strategic career progression by Ennis indicates his ambition to conquer new challenges and solidify his legacy across different weight classes, leaving the welterweight division open for new champions to emerge.