Did David Avanesyan break his jaw? That’s the question that looms over many minds after the fight with Jaron Ennis was stopped before the sixth round. Video footage shows a medical team preparing the gurney outside the ring. On the advice of the ringside physician, the referee had called off the fight. It was ‘Boots’ first title defense since he became a full champion last November.

Ever the sportsman, the Philadelphia native took to social media to express concern for his Armenian-Russian opponent. Talks have been rife with the ‘who’s next’ question for Ennis. He sounds open to a fight with anyone. However, it is a matchup with longtime welterweight rival Terence Crawford that seems to have gained tremendous currency. But as Eddie Hearn suggested, the route to ‘Bud’ might go through title unifications first.

Jaron Ennis: Always the Sportsman First

On his X handle, Jaron Ennis gave a loud shoutout to David Avanesyan and called him a warrior. The IBF welterweight champion expressed his gratitude to ‘Ava’ and his team. After all, they had traveled to his hometown and joined him to put on a splendid show for boxing fans.

Hoping that ‘Ava’ will get back to doing what he is best at, Jaron Ennis said, “I hope he’s healthy & everything is ok with him. Blessings to him & his family.” Many fans appreciated ‘Boots’ for his sportsmanship. One of the fans, though, took the opportunity to highlight how going against Ennis usually ends careers for most of the boxers! In all probability, after what happened to him last Saturday, they speculated that David Avanesyan may not come back for a fight again.

A tweet from IFL TV reportedly suggested that it might be on account of the injuries that he suffered that caused Avanesyan to retire from the fight. Lauding the former European champion for his courage, the message read, “Jaron Ennis stops David Avanesyan after he retires on his stool at the end of the fifth round with what looks to be a broken jaw or cheekbone.”

A story on ‘The Tennessean’ also featured a similar update. They cited a rundown from Chris Mannix. The jaws of David Avanesyan might have been injured, which eventually contributed to the fight stoppage.

The Next Challenger for ‘Boots’: Who Will Step Up

The big question on everyone’s mind is: How is Jaron Ennis’ schedule going to appear now? In his post-fight in-ring interview with Chris Mannix, ‘Boots’ said, “I want, you know, I want the big names. You know, Terence Crawford, anybody else can in that weight that got a big name; let’s get it; let’s make it happen.”

So much so that his decisive victory sparked an interest in even His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. The Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Saudi Arabia, showed strong enthusiasm for the matchup against ‘Bud’ Crawford. It’s too early to say how Jaron Ennis and his team will chalk out his next move. However, there’s no doubt that ‘Boots’ Ennis has joined the A-list of ‘Movers and Shakers’ in the 147-154 pound weight classes. Fans would be keenly watching out now.

What’s your take? Who would you rather have to fight against Jaron Ennis if the Terence Crawford fight didn’t materialize?