Jaron Ennis extended his knockout streak in impressive, satisfying fashion Saturday night.
The talented, versatile welterweight from Philadelphia stopped Juan Carlos Abreu in the sixth round of their scheduled 10-rounder at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Ennis dropped Abreu once in the fifth round and twice early in the sixth, which made referee John Callas stop their one-sided fight at 1:06 of the sixth round.
Ennis became the first fighter to beat Abreu inside the distance and has now won 16 straight bouts by knockout or technical knockout.
The win was particularly gratifying for Ennis because Abreu talked trash during Thursday’s virtual press conference and then came in 3¼ pounds overweight Friday. The Dominican Republic’s Abreu officially weighed 150.2 pounds for a fight that was contracted at the welterweight limit of 147.
The 23-year-old Ennis upped his record to 26-0 and produced his 24th knockout. The 33-year-old Abreu, of Salem, Massachusetts, slipped to 23-6-1 (21 KOs, 1 NC).
“It felt great,” Ennis said during a virtual press conference after the fight. “Like I said before, I knew I was gonna stop him. I’m just too smart for these guys. I’m different, and I showed that tonight.”
After flooring Abreu late in the fifth round, Ennis finished him early in the sixth.
Ennis right to the top of Abreu’s head floored him 16 seconds into the sixth. A staggered Abreu got up again and continued.
Ennis knocked him down for the third time 1:03 into the sixth round after connecting with a right-left combination. Callas called an end to the bout once Abreu went down for the third time.
Ennis landed a left on Abreu’s belt line about 45 seconds into the fifth round. Callas casually warned Ennis, but he didn’t call for a break, which enabled Ennis to keep firing punches at Abreu.
An angered Abreu deliberately landed a low right to Ennis’ groin about 10 seconds later. Ennis doubled over, Callas called for a break and warned Abreu for fouling.
Later in the fifth, Ennis blasted Abreu with a counter, right uppercut that knocked him flat on his back with 22 seconds to go in the fifth round. Abreu answered Callas’ count at seven and made it to the bell to end the fifth round.
Abreu and Ennis each landed a punch after the bell and had to be separated by Callas.
Abreu’s right uppercut connected with just under two minutes remaining in the fourth round. Abreu also landed a right to the body with just over a minute to go in the fourth.
A jarring jab by Ennis stunned Abreu less than 30 seconds into the third round. Ennis’ left-right combination made Abreu hold him barely a minute into the third round.
Ennis knocked Abreu off balance with a combination about 1:10 into the second round. A straight left by Ennis knocked Abreu backward with 1:10 to go in the second round.
Ennis knocked Abreu off balance with a left hook just before the midway mark of the first round. Ennis switched to a southpaw stance for the second half of the opening round and mostly made Abreu miss with his punches in the first three minutes of their fight.
–boxingscene.com
