By Frank Bartolini

Routinely professional boxing in Atlantic City has been eulogized. If that is the case, someone forgot to tell the over ten thousand boxing fans who jammed in The Convention Center on the boardwalk to watch Jarron “Boots” Ennis successfully defend his World WelterweightChampionship promoted by Matchroom Boxing.

Ennis, Philadelphia, PA., turned in the best performance of his career, crushing Eimantas Stanionas in six rounds. The City of Brotherly Love adores their champions and it was evident by the amount of NFL Super Bowl Champions Eagles attire worn by the passionate “Boots” devotees.

Poking Stanionas with left jabs to face and gut that manufactured openings for Ennis viscous body assault. At times Ennis fought effectively from the southpaw stance. Willing to engage in a brawl, Ennis jaw caught a few left hooks. Ennis implored a tsunami assault of punches that busted up a game and resilient Stanionas. During the sixth stanza Boots pulverized Stanionas mid section. Unable to hide his pain, a semi crouched over Stanionas backed into a corner. Slittering in Boots scored three straight left uppercuts to the chin of a hunch over Stanionas . Crumbling to the canvas, Stanionas gamely regained his footing and completed the round. As Stanionas returned to his stool the look of concern on his cornermen’s face. Huddled over the ramshackle boxer the ringside physician, referee and his chief second assessed a beaten man’s condition. As the referee and doctor both nodded when Stanionas trainer called the fight off. Lithuanians should be proud of their native son Staniona’s effort in his first defeat. Stanionas record now stands at 15-1 9 ko’s

With this dominant display of talent, skill and potent power, it cannot be denied that Ennis sits on top of the welterweight mountain. Philadelphia’s native son still has challenges in the one hundred forty seven pound division. Super lightweight monarch Teofimo Lopez is calling out Ennis. Other pugilists mentioned as potential foes are Devin Haney and Brian Norman Jr. two rivals with undefeated slates. Boots is now 34-0 30 ko’s. It would be copacetic if Ennis cleaned out the welterweight class before jumping up in weight. This scribe’s dream match would see Boots and Tank Davis duke it out. A Philly vs Baltimore scrap would create a megaton of excitement.

Do not listen to the nay sayers, the Atlantic City’s fight scene is vibrant. Two weeks before this fight took place Larry Goldberg’s Boxinginsider Promotions staged a six fight event at The Tropicana Casino and Hotel that featured local ticket seller Justin Figueroa in the main event. A popular junior middleweight Figueroa is from the area and excelled as a high school athlete.

Local fan enthusiasm for Figueroa remains strong as he was part of a line up that had over fifteen hundred derrieres filling the seats. That number does not comply with a dying boxing culture.

In 2015 Atlantic City was on life support, all facets were gasping for air as several casinos were no longer in operation as other gambling houses were torn down. Professional boxing puttered to a standstill. Then a young welterweight prospect named Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna decided to promote professional boxing in “The City By the Sea”. LaManna effort single handedly revived the AC boxing. Other promoters followed suit and now there are over twenty fights per year on the boardwalk. LaManna, a fourteen year professional with forty five fights, takes on former super welterweight and middleweight champion Jermall Charlo at the Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday May 31 in a ten round tiff.