Matchroom Boxing Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City Boots Ennis vs. Stanionis Card Preview
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Atlantic, City (April 6th, 2025)– Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis will face Eimantas Stanionis in the main event of a DAZN and Matchroom Boxing nine-bout fight card at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Ennis, 33-0 with 29 knockouts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the reigning International Boxing Federation World Welterweight champion, will fight a world title unification bout against Stanionis, 15-9 with 9 knockouts and one No-Contest, Kaunas, Lithuania, for the Ring Magazine and unified World Welterweight titles.
The more experienced Ennis is favored to win by 12 round unanimous or majority decision in a close, hard fought bout. The bout will be the most difficult ‘Boots’ Ennis has had to date.
In the two televised DAZN preliminary bouts to the main event: southpaw super featherweight Raymond Ford, 16-1-1 with eight knockouts, Camden, New Jersey, is favored to win by 10-round split or majority decision over Thomas Mattice, 22-4-1 with 17 knockouts, Cleveland, Ohio; and super bantamweight Arturo Popoca, 15-0-1 with eight knockouts, Sahuayo de Modelos, Michoacan, Mexico, is favored to retain the World Boxing Council Americas Super Bantamweight title by 10 round majority or split decision over Christian Carto, 23-1 with 16 knockouts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Popoca has won his last three pro bouts by unanimous decision 10, majority decision 10, and split decision 10. Carto has won his last five scheduled eight rounders within the distance, but is not yet a 10-round fighter. Popoca has demonstrated his ability to battle through rounds nine and 10 successfully in his last three bouts. Carto was knocked out once, in the second round, by 23-14 Mexican journeyman Victor Ruiz in February 2019, derailing his career for 30 months.
Uzbekistan welterweight prospect Shakhram ‘Wonder Boy’ Giyasov, 16-0 with nine knockouts, Brooklyn, New York, is favored to win by 10-round unanimous decision over Francisco Emiliano ‘Cazador’ Campo, 17-2 with eight knockouts, California by way of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Giyasov has won between rounds 10 and 12 in his last five bouts. Campo has been inactive for 16 months, and lacks the hardcore experience of Giyasov, though Campo has won a bout over 10 rounds by decision in his ring history.
Philly welterweight prospect Tahmir Smalls, 13-0 with nine knockouts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is favored to win by a round majority decision over Earl Bascome, 13-1 with two knockouts, Baltimore, Maryland by way of Devonshire, Bermuda. Bascome has won eight consecutive eight rounders by decision, but was stopped in 2019 in four rounds by hard hitting Fabio Costa. Bascome has more power than any opponent Bascome has yet faced.
Matchroom Boxing super welterweight prospect Omari ‘The Banger’ Jones, 1-0 with one knockout, Orlando, Florida, is favored to win by six-round unanimous decision over William ‘Action’ Jackson, 13-5 with five knockouts, Cincinnati, Ohio. As an amateur, Jones won a silver medal in the welterweight division at the 2021 AIBA World Boxing Championships. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jones won a bronze medal in the welterweight division. That experience could develop into a stoppage win over Jackson, who still has more hardcore experience than Jones, and has gone 0-3 with one draw in his four unsuccessful comeback attempts in the last eight years.
Atlantic City, NJ born, Pleasantville, New Jersey area lightweight prospect Francisco Rodriguez, 5-0 with six knockouts, is favored to win by six-round unanimous decision over Naheem Parker, 5-1 with two knockouts, Camden, New Jersey. Parker can fight, and this one should go the distance.
In the opening bout, southpaw super featherweight Zaquin Moses, 2-0 with one knockout, Camden, New Jersey, is favored to win third-round knockout over trial horse Alex Pallette, 1-3 with one knockout, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico.
Doors open 5 P.M., first bout 5:45 P.M. at Jim Whelan Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Saturday, April 5, 2025. Tickets available online at www.ticketmaster.com from $50 general admission up to $150. There is a 10 ticket limit per purchase for this event or call Ticketmaster at 1-800-653-8000 9 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. Monday to Friday, 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. on Saturday, 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. on Sunday.
For more information about the boxing event, go to www.boardwalkhall.com or call Boardwalk Hall at 1-609-348-7000. Boardwalk Hall Parking and several other 24 hours parking lots are available nearby for a paid fee for those attending the event. Food and beverages are available at the event. Accommodations are available by contacting Atlantic City Boardwalk and vicinity area Hotels and Motels directly or book reservations online.
English
No Comments Yet