Coach Bob Santos claims that WBC interim welterweight champion Mario Barrios was prepared to struggle IBF champ Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis earlier than he signed to compete on DAZN with Matchroom Boxing.
Followers don’t imagine that Barrios (28-2, 18 KOs) would have ever fought Boots Ennis, as a result of as Santos factors out, he’s “Excessive threat, low reward.” They assume Barrios nonetheless hopes Devin Haney will transfer to 147 and face him.
It’s believed that when Haney does make a transfer to welterweight, which he might have to do ultimately on account of his immense 165+ lb body, he’ll goal Barrios quite than taking a dangerous struggle in opposition to Boots Ennis.
Barrios is arguably a mushy contact, with him getting simply overwhelmed by ring-rusty Keith Thurman in 2022 and knocked out by light-weight Gervonta Davis in 2021.
As a substitute of preventing Boots, Barrios is defending his WBC interim title in opposition to Fabian Maidana on Could 4th on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia in Las Vegas.
Fabian isn’t ranked within the prime 15 by any of the 4 sanctioning our bodies at 147, and who is aware of why the World Boxing Council is sanctioning that struggle.
Maidana hasn’t fought a notable fighter since his match in opposition to Andrey Klimov in 2018, and even that man had misplaced three out of his 4 earlier fights.
Santos insists PBC boss Al Haymon would enable Barrios to struggle anyone, and that perhaps a struggle between him and Boots Ennis may occur “someday.”
“We have been the frontrunners for the Boots struggle…”
“We have been the frontrunners for the Boots struggle. We agreed to struggle him. They mentioned, ‘Would you struggle Boots? No one desires to struggle Boots.’ I mentioned, ‘We’ll struggle Boots.’ I instructed everyone that,” mentioned Mario Barrios’ coach, Bob Santos, to the Sean Zittel YouTube channel.
“He went with DAZN now, however we’re with Al Haymon, and I do know he’ll allow us to struggle anyone, anytime, anyplace. Perhaps that’s one thing that may be put collectively someday with Boots. However clearly, he took off with DAZN for no matter cause, so we’ll see. Boots, Crawford, any of these guys.
“We agreed to struggle him [Boots Ennis]. They approached us and mentioned, ‘Would you be prepared to struggle him?’ I instructed everyone, ‘After all, we’ll struggle him.’ Why wouldn’t we struggle him?
“Barrios is about taking up challenges. From that regard, excessive threat, low reward,” mentioned Santos about what Boots Ennis would carry to the desk for Barrios.
