Josh Kelly vs Jaron Ennis set for Atlanta on 27 February

Josh Kelly will defend his IBF super-welterweight title against unbeaten Jaron “Boots” Ennis in a three-belt unification fight at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on 27 February.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed the fight on Wednesday. Ennis will put his WBA and WBO titles on the line, so the winner will hold three of the four major belts at 154lb.

The Sunderland fighter, 32, will box in the United States for the third time. He goes in with a record of 19-1-1 (9 KOs). Ennis, 29, is 36-0 (32 KOs, 1 NC) and fights out of Philadelphia.

The two meet for the first time at a launch press conference in Los Angeles on Friday.

Josh Kelly vs Jaron Ennis: date, venue and how to watch

The fight takes place on Saturday 27 February 2027 at State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. It is Matchroom’s first show in the city.

DAZN will show the fight worldwide, including in the UK. In the US it will also be broadcast on TNT and truTV.

Ring-walk times have not been confirmed. With Atlanta five hours behind the UK, the main event is expected at around 4am GMT on Sunday 28 February.

The rest of the card is still to be announced. Our boxing fights guide will be updated as bouts are added.

Kelly the underdog again

Kelly has spent much of his career being told he was too clever for his own good. Critics saw a slick, flashy boxer who lacked the grit for the top level, and his record has rarely been a straight line.

He drew with Ray Robinson in 2019. In February 2021 he suffered his only defeat when David Avanesyan stopped him in six rounds. Since then he has won nine fights in a row, including:

• a win over Troy Williamson in December 2022;
• a majority decision over Ishmael Davis at Wembley Stadium in September 2024;
• a first-round knockout of Juan Biea in June 2025.

The win that changed everything came on 31 January 2026. Kelly beat Bakhram Murtazaliev on a majority decision, scored 115-111, 114-113 and 113-113, and survived a knockdown in each of rounds four and nine. It made him Sunderland’s first world champion.

He made his first defence in July, beating Caoimhin Agyarko on a unanimous decision in Jeddah on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga.

Ennis the favourite

Ennis will start as a clear favourite. He has been one of boxing’s most feared punchers for years, and his move up from welterweight has only strengthened that reputation.

He stopped Eimantas Stanionis in 2025, before the Lithuanian retired on his stool after six rounds. Then he unified at 154lb in June, beating Xander Zayas at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Ennis dropped Zayas in rounds one, five and seven and finished him in the seventh, although he was briefly shaken in the third.

Olympic pedigree on Kelly’s side

Kelly’s amateur career showed his talent early. Representing Great Britain, he won bronze at the 2015 European Games in Baku. A year later he reached the last 16 at the Rio Olympics, where he lost to Kazakhstan’s Daniyar Yeleussinov, who went on to win gold.

He turned professional with Matchroom and made his debut on 15 April 2017, beating Jay Byrne on points over six rounds.

What the winner gets

Sebastian Fundora holds the WBC belt, the only major title at 154lb that is not on the line in Atlanta. The winner will be one fight away from becoming undisputed champion, and Fundora has already said he wants the winner.

The division is busy. Vergil Ortiz is also in the mix, with talks over a December fight against Keith Thurman. For more news and previews, visit our boxing hub.

Josh Kelly vs Jaron Ennis FAQ

When is Josh Kelly vs Jaron Ennis?
Saturday 27 February 2027.

Where is the fight?
State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

What time is the fight in the UK?
Ring-walks are expected at around 4am GMT on Sunday 28 February, but times have not been confirmed.

How can I watch Kelly vs Ennis in the UK?
DAZN will show the fight live.

What titles are on the line?
Kelly’s IBF title and Ennis’s WBA and WBO super-welterweight titles.

What are Kelly and Ennis’s records?
Kelly is 19-1-1 (9 KOs). Ennis is 36-0 (32 KOs, 1 NC).