Jaron Ennis vs. David Avanesyan:
Ennis wins by RTD in 5th round.
Jalil Hackett vs. Peter Dobson:
Hackett wins by UD.
Skye Nicolson vs. Dyana Vargas:
Nicolson wins by UD.
Khalil Coe vs. Kwame Ritter:
Coe wins by TKO in 2nd round.
Christopher Diaz-Velez vs. Derlyn Hernandez-Gerarldo:
Diaz-Velez wins by TKO in 2nd round.
Christian Carto vs. Carlos Buitrago:
Carto wins by RTD in 3rd round.
Ismail Muhammad vs. Frank Brown:
Muhammad wins by UD.
Dennis Thompson vs. Fernando Joaquin Valdez:
Thompson wins by UD.
The IBF welterweight championship bout between Jaron “Boots” Ennis and David Avanesyan is set at the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia.
This will be Ennis's first fight at home since November 2018. The 26-year-old from Germantown returns to the ring just over a year after his impressive 10th-round knockout victory over Roiman Villa in Atlantic City, where he successfully defended his interim title before being promoted to full champion.
Watch the official press conference highlights:
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David Avanesyan is looking to become a world champion for the second time. He first held the WBA title after winning the interim championship against ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley in May 2016 in Arizona, but he narrowly lost it in his defense against Lamont Peterson in February 2017. The 35-year-old Armenian, based in the UK, had a recent shot at the WBO title against Terence Crawford in December 2022. Avanesyan's impressive career also includes a long reign as European champion, marked by knockout victories over Kerman Lejarraga, Josh Kelly, and Liam Taylor. He steps in to replace Cody Crowley, who was ruled out for medical reasons, and Ennis expects a challenging fight.
"Now that Crowley is officially not my opponent, I actually like Avanesyan as a better opponent," said Ennis. "He will put up a better fight, which will be what I want. July 13, don’t miss this beautiful, outstanding performance!"
Avanesyan expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and his respect for Ennis.
"I would like to thank Matchroom, Eddie Hearn, Frank Smith, and Tom Dallas, the legal teams, and my long-term manager Neil Marsh for this fantastic opportunity. Jaron Ennis is a world-class boxer who I respect highly and is a potential huge star, and on July 13, we will find out if he is the real deal."
In the co-main event, Hackett (8-0, 7 KOs) is set to take on Peter Dobson (16-1, 9 KOs).
Unbeaten Hackett will make his first ring appearance of the year after a successful 2023, where he achieved four victories. In his most recent fight last December, the 21-year-old from Washington, D.C., stopped Adrian Gutierrez in the third round.
“I’m so happy to kick off my deal with Matchroom with such a big fight. Eddie and Matchroom have a plan for my development that I’m really excited by, and that starts on July 13 against Dobson. He took Conor Benn the distance in a good fight, but I’m going to prove that I am ready for this step-up and much more. It’s also great to be on Boots’ card in Philadelphia. I’ve done great work with Boots already, and I know that tickets for this show have been flying, so I can’t wait to showcase my skills in front of a big crowd, live on DAZN, and then watch Boots put on a show.”
Peter Dobson, fighting for the second time in 2024, is eager to return to the win column. The 34-year-old from The Bronx, New York, suffered his first career defeat in February, when he dropped a unanimous decision against Conor Benn. Despite the setback, Dobson remains confident and determined to bounce back.
Watch Benn vs. Dobson highlights:
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“He’s a little boy and I’m going to beat his ass like his father used to. He’s trying to use me as a stepping-stone and he’s making a terrible mistake. There are levels to this and he’s nowhere near mine – he’s going to find that out in brutal fashion come July 13.”
In the undercard, Skye Nicolson (10-0, 1 KO) is set to defend her WBC featherweight title against Dyana Vargas (18-1, 12 KOs).
Nicolson claimed the vacant WBC featherweight title on April 6 in Las Vegas, defeating Sarah Mahfoud via a near-shutout decision over 10 rounds. Her upcoming challenger, Vargas, is a 32-year-old Dominican fighter who was initially scheduled for a stay-busy fight on June 8 in Puerto Plata. The bout against Nicolson will mark Vargas’s first fight outside her home country.
Watch Nicolson vs. Mahfoud highlights:
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Also featured on the card are intriguing matchups including Jalil Hackett vs. Peter Dobson, and Khalil Coe vs. Manuel Gallegos and more.
Main card:
▪️Jaron Ennis vs. David Avanesyan, 12 rounds, for Ennis’ IBF welterweight title
▪️Jalil Hackett vs. Peter Dobson, 10 rounds, welterweight for WBA Continental North America title
▪️Skye Nicolson vs. Dyana Vargas, 10 rounds, for Nicolson’s WBC featherweight title
▪️Khalil Coe vs. Kwame Ritter, 10 rounds, for the vacant USWBC light heavyweight title
Prelims (Starts at 5:20 pm ET):
▪️Christopher Diaz vs. Derlyn Hernandez-Gerarldo, 10 rounds, super featherweight
▪️Christian Carto vs. Carlos Buitrago, 8 rounds, bantamweight
▪️Ismail Muhammad vs. Frank Brown, 6 rounds, welterweight
▪️Dennis Thompson vs. Fernando Joaquin Valdez, 4 rounds, bantamweight
Watch the weigh-in highlights on YouTube:
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