Philly boxer Jaron Ennis becomes world champion after IBF strips Terrence Crawford of welterweight title

Jaron Ennis became a world champion on Thursday without throwing a punch as the Germantown boxer was awarded a welterweight crown after it was stripped from champion Terrence Crawford.

The International Boxing Federation removed Crawford as champion after he failed to meet Ennis (31-0, 28 knockouts) for a mandatory title defense. Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) was the undisputed welterweight champion and still holds three 147-pound belts. Instead of Ennis, Crawford will likely face Errol Spence next year in a rematch of their July fight that Crawford won by a wide margin.

» READ MORE: Philly boxer Jaron Ennis is dedicating his fight to a 7-year-old boy who is fighting for his life

There were plans for Ennis to fight later this month but that is now on hold. His next fight will be his first title defense, which should allow him to face the stiffer competition that he has chased.

The 26-year-old Ennis was raised in Philadelphia gyms. He graduated from Saul High School, lives in Bucks County, and trains in the Northeast. He is Philadelphia’s only current world champion.

His father, Bozy, has long been one of the city’s top trainers, and his brothers, Derek and Farah, were successful pros. Ennis, nicknamed “Boots,” said he always dreamed of strapping the world-title belt around his dad’s waist immediately after winning it. The boxing family finally has a world championship.

Ennis became the IBF’s interim champion in January with a decision over Karen Chukhadzhian. That win was supposed to set Ennis up for an elusive world-title shot. But he had to wait as he knocked out Roiman Villa in July, three weeks before Crawford fought Spence. Now, that wait is over.