IBF welterweight world champion Jaron Ennis takes on Lithuanian Eimantas Stanionis this weekend looking to stamp his authority on the division but he will need to step things after a lacklustre display against Karen Chukhadzhian

Welterweight is a classic division. The fighters are big enough to do damage but not too big to be ponderous. In the men’s game, guys can be 6ft tall or 5ft 10 powerhouses, all sorts of shapes and sizes that ordinary people can relate too.

Right now Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis is the man being talked about as a super talent after Terence Crawford moved up to 154 pounds.

On Saturday in Atlantic City IBF champion Ennis gets the chance to stamp his authority on the division against WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis.

The Lithuanian, who inherited the crown after Crawford vacated, has fought only once in three years following appendicitis and seeing bouts fall through twice in fight week.

Stanionis is a tough kid. He knows he is the underdog here, but he can fight and came through a ridiculously tough eastern European amateur schooling, winning European gold as an amateur.

There would have been a dozen as good as him coming through and to get to the top you have to know what you are about. But this is about Ennis justifying the hype after a lacklustre display against Karen Chukhadzhian last time out. Crawford showed himself a worthy successor to the greats of the division. If Ennis wants to do the same he needs to step up.

He’s powerful, strong and slick, a classic of the type. He reminds me a little of the great Sugar Ray Leonard with his skill set. I’m not sure he puts it all together quite like Sugar Ray, but there are echoes of him for sure.

The test will come fighting someone as good as he is. Leonard did that against Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler in some of the best fights we have ever seen.

This fight is a defining one for Ennis as he bids to show he is worth the hype
Stanionis is effectively in the Dave Boy Green slot, going in against the superstar. Davey was a good fighter, British and European champion. He beat John H Stracy, a former world welterweight champion.

But as aggressive and exciting as he was, he was outclassed by Leonard, who could fire off three shots in a split second. Bang, bang, bang.

Poor Davey. He never knew what hit him, a crushing left hook ending the flurry and rendering him unconscious before he hit the canvas. You don’t get up from that.

I hope we see the best of Stanionis because that will bring the best out of Ennis. It’s not just about winning in this game, but how you win.