Brian Norman Jr. has revealed his hit list for 2025, which includes IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis as his primary target. He also wants Teofimo Lopez, but good luck with that.
Targeting ‘boots’
WBO 147-lb champion Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) may be willing to come down from his $2.2 million price tag to the $1.7 million ‘Boots ‘Ennis’ promoter Eddie Hearn recently offered him for a fight on November 8 in Philadelphia.
Hearn was unwilling to increase his offer by $500K, which was a mistake. Ennis’ stock fell after his poor performance in the rematch with Karen Chukhadzhian on Nov. 8 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. In retrospect,
Hearn might wish he had raised the additional $500,000 that Norman Jr. wanted for the rally in Philly. If the British promoter could do it all over again, he probably wouldn’t have been one Joakim McDuck in the negotiations. Hearn must have thought Jaron would pitch another shutout of Chukadzhian, as he did in their previous game on January 7, 2023.
He didn’t consider the possibility of Karen working on her power game and coming into the rematch as a smaller version of Artur Beterbiev. He out-swallowed and outboxed Boots, making him look like a novice.
Ennis’ value has fallen off a cliff since that fight and he is almost worthless. Karen put her hands on Ennis and looked like a mini Beterbiev. Hearn must have been kicking himself for not getting that deal done after watching Jaron get embarrassed. .
What hurt his value even more was that he turned down a fight against WBC interim 154-lb champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. on Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh season ticket on February 22. It made Ennis look like a grade-A chick.
Norman Jr’s vision for 2025
- Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis
- Teofimo Lopez
- 140 & 147-lb champion
“2025 is my year. I’ve got a whole chart lined up. I can see the goal, but I’m starting with Boots, that kid over in Philly,” Brian Norman Jr. said on social media. “I’m gonna go over here and get it done. I need to make it happen before he moves to 154.
“After that, Teo plays games. He plays games. He’s thinking about going to 147. If you’re thinking about doing that, I’m right here. If you want to fight at 140, I’m with the WBO. I’ll come down to 140 with you. That is not a problem at all.
“It’s for all the other 140-lb champions too. Anyone can get it. I just want you to know. I’ve been quiet too long. It’s my fault, but I’m tightening up. Now’s the time to take over this whole boxing game,” Norman Jr. said.
Norman Jr, 24, will return to the ring having not fought since knocking out Giovani Santillan in the tenth round on May 18 at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. He should have already fought by now.
