The Boxing Truth®: Uisma Lima

Showing posts with label Uisma Lima. Show all posts

Sunday, October 12, 2025

Ennis Destructive In Jr. Middleweight Debut

The storyline going into the encounter between undefeated former unified Welterweight world champion Jaron Ennis and IBO Jr. Middleweight world champion Uisma Lima on October 11th was that it represented the next chapter in the thus far unbeaten career of Ennis in his debut in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division. Before a hometown crowd at the recently renamed Xfinity Mobile Arena (Formerly the Wells Fargo Center) in Philadelphia, PA, Ennis would make a statement.

Despite going against a world champion, whose title was not on the line, little was known about Uisma Lima. In previewing this fight, this observer stated that Lima was, much like Ennis, a come forward fighter that applies pressure boxing out of the southpaw stance. Although Lima, who was fighting for the first time in the United States, began this fight coming forward behind a consistent jab and attempted to put Ennis on the defensive by backing him up, he was unable to control the distance as he had shown in previous fights.

This created the scenario that brought the fight to a sudden conclusion. Just as it appeared that a potential tactical fight was setting up in the first round, the two fighters exchanged left hands. It was in that exchange that Ennis was able to connect with his left before Lima could land his. The punch from Ennis connected and stunned Lima. Ennis quickly followed that with an uppercut that sent Lima down to the canvas.

Lima got up in very unsteady legs, but Ennis pressed the issue immediately, dropping him for a second time with a follow-up barrage of blows. Showing his mettle, Lima was able to get up once more, but Ennis quickly went in for the kill and another follow-up flurry of punches forced Referee Shawn Clark to step in, as Lima’s corner was throwing the towel in to save their fighter from further punishment, and stop the fight at 1:58 of round one.

As tempting as some might be to add elements of hype to this knockout, yours truly will not be one of them. There is simply not much you can say about a fight that lasts just under two minutes. Jaron Ennis simply saw his opening, was able to take advantage of it, and made quick work of his opponent in destructive fashion. Simply put, Uisma Lima did not know what hit him and Ennis did not take the chance of allowing him to recover, went in for the kill and took care of business.

As for what's next for Ennis, quite frankly, this observer believes that the International Boxing Organization (IBO) World Jr. Middleweight championship, which Uisma Lima still holds, despite being knocked out in the first round of this fight, should have been on the line here. If nothing else, it would have provided a narrative that Ennis established himself as a two-division world champion with the knockout win. Instead, Ennis earned with his thirty-first knockout in thirty-five career wins, Interim/Regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Jr. Middleweight ratings. In short, that designation is simply a number one ranking.

A number one ranking that puts Ennis in line to face current WBA Jr. Middleweight world champion Abass Baraou, a fighter who recently held that same designation, but was elevated to world champion following the decision by former WBA world champion Terence Crawford to vacate the title to move up two divisions to Super-Middleweight to challenge undisputed world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. A challenge that for Crawford was successful. Much like Uisma Lima had going into his fight with Ennis, Abass Baraou has a limited resume of a 14-1 record with 9 Knockouts and has not fought opposition that some would consider top caliber.

The brief glimpse into the politics that be in the sport of Boxing aside, what his victory over Uisma Lima, should have accomplished for Jaron Ennis was establishing him as potentially a lucrative, albeit dangerous option for any top contender or world champion in the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division. He also showed, at least in this fight, that his punching power has thus far carried with him up from the 147lb. Welterweight division. Whether or not Abass Baraou is indeed next for Ennis, which would be the logical assumption at least as far as the WBA is concerned, remains to be seen, but this observer believes Jaron Ennis could be back in the ring as soon as January or February of next year after a short night's work in knocking out Uisma Lima.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Thursday, October 9, 2025

Ennis Takes On IBO World Champion Lima In Jr. Middleweight Debut

It goes almost without saying nowadays that unless a fighter is a natural Heavyweight, most fighters that make it to the world championship level and achieve that goal, tend to set their sights on multiple weight classes in search of more world championship gold as well as and perhaps more specifically, bigger paydays. In the case of Jaron Ennis, an undefeated World Welterweight champion, who seemed poised to take over the 147lb. Welterweight division in the era immediately following the exit of Terence Crawford, the division’s last undisputed world champion, he has made the decision to move up in weight rather than trying to complete the unification process at Welterweight after successfully unifying the IBF and WBA world titles with a sixth round stoppage of previously unbeaten WBA world champion Eimantas Stanionis in April of this year. Despite the potential to add his name next to Crawford and other notable legends like Sugar Ray Leonard and Donald Curry as fighters who went on to claim status as an undisputed world champion during their time atop the Welterweight division, Ennis has instead opted to move up in weight to the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight division where he will face current International Boxing Organization (IBO) Jr. Middleweight world champion Uisma Lima on Saturday, October 11th in Ennis' hometown of Philadelphia, PA at the Wells Fargo Center in a scheduled twelve round bout that can be seen worldwide on digital sports subscription streaming network DAZN. Lima, who holds the distinction as the first fighter from Angola to ever hold a world championship, will enter this fight with a record of 14-1, with 10 Knockouts.

Despite holding a world championship that he won in December of last year and has successfully defended it once since then, Lima is largely unknown and basically comes into this encounter with Ennis as a world champion that is under the radar. Lima has scored knockouts of over 70% of his opposition, so the question that looms over this fight will be how Lima, a boxer/puncher will perform against the significantly more experienced and higher profile Ennis, who will come into this bout unbeaten with a record of 34-0, with 30 Knockouts having knocked out 88% of his previous opponents entering this fight.

What is also unknown as this fight approaches is whether the IBO world championship in the Jr. Middleweight division, which Lima currently holds, will be on the line or if this will be a non-title bout scheduled for the world championship distance of twelve rounds. The IBO, which was founded in the late 1980’s and incorporated in the early 1990’s, and is based here in the United States, has struggled for consistent recognition, particularly in this country as a world sanctioning organization, the fifth major world sanctioning organization in the sport. It is an organization, however, that in addition to having many notable fighters and Hall of Famers, male and female hold its world championship in various weight divisions throughout the entire sport, is held in higher regard internationally, which in addition to its computerized-based approach to rankings, can on occasion create a scenario like this where a world champion, who is well-traveled as Lima has been in competing in multiple countries throughout his career, but a fighter who will be competing in the United States for the first time, is regarded as an unknown entity. This observer has been unable to confirm as is this writing as to whether or not the world title Lima holds will indeed be on the line in this bout.

While some who particularly take a more cynical view of sanctioning organizations and choose not to view them as the legitimate entities that they for better or worse are, no matter what happens in this fight, it will have no impact on the IBO’s standing. If, Lima can produce a solid performance, however, it will provide further evidence that just because a fighter may not be what is sometimes referred to as a “Household Name" does not mean they should be taken lightly both by their opponent who might be more well known and by fans, even though in an era increasingly dominated by worldwide streaming, it is becoming harder for fighters to be completely under the radar.

As for what type of fight one can expect when Ennis and Lima square off? Like Jaron Ennis, Uisma Lima is a come forward pressure fighter. What will make this potentially interesting is Lima is a southpaw that is tall, rangy, knows how to control distance well, and often comes forward throwing punches with both hands. The question here might be whether Lima’s physical advantages and offensive approach will be enough against a fighter in Ennis that while he might be moving up in weight, has shown the ability to end a fight with either hand in often brutal fashion. If the power he displayed as a Welterweight is able to carry with him as he moves up in weight, Ennis will be no less dangerous and any opponent will have to approach with caution. We will see what Uisma Lima can do on Saturday, October 11th.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

Update: Shortly after completion of this column, it was able to be confirmed that the IBO Jr. Middleweight world championship currently held by Uisma Lima will not be at stake, but the bout is being billed as a final elimination bout in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Jr. Middleweight ratings where the winner will be given Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA rankings. As of this writing, win or lose Lima will still be IBO world champion.

Ennis vs. Lima takes place on Saturday, October 11th at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 5:15 PM ET/2:15 PM with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts followed by the main card that will begin at 8PM ET/5PM PT.

(*North American Times Only.*)

(*Card and Start Times Subject to Change*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, Availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.