"I'm Going to Fight Him": Chukhadzhian and Ennis on Title Bout

Ukrainian welterweight contender Karen Chukhadzhian (24-2, 13 KOs) spoke with opponent Jaron Ennis's (32-0, 29 KOs) promoter, Eddie Hearn, ahead of their IBF title bout.

Chukhadzhian: "Without a doubt, I'm ready. We've worked so hard these past two years. I'm improving every day, and I’m going to show people how much I’ve changed."

Hearn: "Bozy (Ennis’s trainer and father) and Jaron criticized you for moving a lot in your last fight, saying you were running. Are you here to fight this time? This time, you'll need to do whatever it takes to win. Can you promise Philadelphia a great fight on Saturday?"

Chukhadzhian: "Yes, of course. I’m going to fight him. You’ll see—it’ll be an amazing fight."

Hearn: "Do you believe you can become world champion on Saturday?"

Chukhadzhian: "That's why I'm here. I'm going to prove it to people."

In his comments, Jaron Ennis expressed his confidence and intention to make a statement with his victory.

– Jaron, he says this time he won't be running, he’ll stand and fight with you. Do you believe him, and how excited are you to fight again at this amazing venue?

– I’m not gonna lie, he’ll get his respect on Saturday. We're putting on a show and having fun. Whether he’s lying or not, I don’t care what he does. I’ll put on a show and make a bold statement. Saturday night’s gonna be fun.

I’m going to win. I’m planning on making a big statement, knocking him out. But like I said, I gotta have fun. I'll put on my show. It’s my ring, my rules, said Ennis.

The rematch will take place on November 9 in Philadelphia. In their first encounter in early 2023, Ennis defeated Chukhadzhian by unanimous decision. As for the chances of both boxers in their rematch, we took an in-depth look at them here—with detailed statistics and analysis leading up to the fight.