Jaron Ennis, NOW Boxing Promotions Reach Settlement; Complaint Dismissed With Prejudice

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis can move forward with his career without restriction.

The Ring has confirmed that Ennis has reached a settlement agreement with estranged promoter NOW Boxing Promotions. The development comes seven weeks after the unbeaten IBF welterweight titlist filed a multi-count lawsuit alleging breach of contract.

Ennis sought relief in excess of $1,000,000 from the case filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A settlement hearing was held on Monday before Magistrate Judge Jose R. Artega. The matter followed by Tuesday’s ruling to close the case, so ordered by District Judge Michael M. Baylson.

The complaint was dismissed with prejudice.

The heart of the lawsuit focused on Ennis’ inactivity relative to the number of contractually guaranteed bouts. Ennis signed with NOW Boxing in 2019 when it was previously run by Cameron Dunkin, who passed away in January. Kellie Dunkin, Cameron’s widow, has since claimed control of the company.

Ennis has not fought since Dunkin’s passing, or at all since last July.

According to the promotional contract—a copy which was obtained by The Ring—Ennis was due to fight four times each in years one and two, and three times each in years three and four.

Ennis (31-0, 28 knockouts), The Ring’s No. 2-rated welterweight, has fought just ten times over that period. The 2020 pandemic played a role, though the terms were still never met before or after the global crisis.

Concern was expressed—in writing—over Kellie Dunkin’s ability to run the company. Her lack of experience and communication were both cited in the original complaint and the March 15 amended version.

“[Ennis] has been ready, willing, and able to participate in the number of Bouts specified in the Agreement and has made Defendant aware of his willingness,” attorney Arnold Joseph argued on behalf of Ennis in the February 7 complaint. “To date, Defendant has not advised whether Ms. Dunkin or Defendant is a licensed Promoter. Plaintiff avers that Mrs. Dunkin has absolutely no experience promoting professional boxing events.

“Plaintiff’s last bout took place on July 8, 2023. Defendant has failed to offer any bout opportunities since that date.”

According to the original complaint, Ennis was informed via official letter on January 15 that Kellie Dunkin assumed control of NOW Boxing. The notice was provided 13 days after Cameron Dunkin’s passing.

It was acknowledged in the complaint that the 2019 Agreement carried a clause that provided NOW Boxing the unilateral right to extend his contract in the event he won a major title.

Ennis defeated Karen Chukhadzhian last January 6 in Washington D.C. to win the interim IBF 147-pound title. His lone defense—and last fight—was a July 8 ninth-round stoppage of Roiman Villa in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

An upgrade to full title status came last fall. Ennis was ordered to face Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs), The Ring 147-pound champ and No. 1 pound-for-pound, in a title consolidation bout. The fight was ordered by the IBF shortly after Crawford’s July 29 stoppage win over Errol Spence in their Ring/undisputed championship.

Crawford cited, two days before the deadline, an inability to enter negotiations given an existing rematch clause with Spence. Sanctioning bodies traditionally do not recognize clauses external to its ordered mandatory title fights.

With that came Ennis’ upgrade to full IBF welterweight title status. He was recently ordered to face top-rated challenger Cody Crowley, but has failed to reach terms for the mandatory title fight.

The existing promotional issues and inability to negotiate terms with Crowley were cited in the amended March 16 complaint.

“Typically, the Promoter of the title holder (in this case Defendant) is the Promoter who stages a Mandatory Bout,” argued Ennis’ attorney.  “[T]hat Promoter generally takes steps to ensure that his fighter is placed in an optimal

position both monetarily and with respect to the other variables associated with the staging of a professional

boxing match.

“Defendant has failed to finalize a deal with the challenger’s promoter for the bout. Defendant’s failure puts Plaintiff’s status as a champion in jeopardy.”

Ennis-Crowley was previously scheduled for a March 19 purse bid. The matter was postponed by a week. The Ring confirmed with the IBF that Tuesday’s rescheduled session was removed from the schedule altogether. No reason was given for the cancellation.

There still exists the matter of Ennis making his way back to the ring.

Unconfirmed rumors have swirled of his placement on the May 4 Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez-Jaime Munguia undercard in Las Vegas. It would mark his highest profile assignment to date, a much-needed career boost given his talent.

Much of Ennis’ prime has been squandered by patches of inactivity, including a previous legal dispute. His recent fallout with NOW Boxing came four years after Ennis was in a dispute with Chris Middendorf and Victory Boxing, who previously partnered with Dunkin but whose relationship with Ennis became fractured following their split.

Ennis claimed at the time that his relationship with Middendorf was through Dunkin.  Middendorf legally argued that a binding contract remained in place, with the dispute threatening to put Ennis’ promising career on hold.

Little movement has come of his career even after the case was settled in June 2021. Just four fights followed, including a single two-round bout in 2022.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JakeNDaBox

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