Highly rated welterweight contender Jaron “Boots” Ennis has called on Shawn Porter to come out of retirement and fight him.
The unexpected statement comes after a clip from Shawn Porter’s The Porter Way Podcast did the rounds on social media yesterday (Tuesday).
“Boots is overrated,” said Porter on his show. “And this is why I say he’s overrated. Everybody is so hyped on him, but he hasn’t been in the ring with any world champions yet. ‘Boots a smash him.’ Damn, let the fight happen and say Boots smashed them or man that was a great fight Boots did well.”
Porter retired from boxing last year with a (31-4-1, 17 KOs) that ended at the hands of WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford. Their fight in Las Vegas last November caught the public’s imagination but, on the night, Porter fell short and was stopped in the 10th round. In the post-fight press conference afterwards the 34-year-old officially announced his decision to hang up the gloves.
Last night Ennis took to Twitter to respond to Porter’s comments.
“I heard you @ShowtimeShawnP said I was overrated. You was just saying I’m ready and too much for these guys lol. And you said you won’t fight me but keep that same energy tho. If I’m so overrated come out of retirement and fight me. Now people retire and I’m overrated.”
The unbeaten Ennis (28-0, 26 KOs) has a top three ranking with all four governing bodies and his father and trainer Bozy Ennis told Boxing Social last month that his son is “most likely” to next fight Custio Clayton in an IBF welterweight final eliminator.