ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – Jaron Ennis left little room for criticism in his second fight of 2023.

The undefeated welterweight from Philadelphia broke down Roiman Villa and stopped the courageous contender in the 10th round of their 12-round fight for Ennis’ IBF interim welterweight title Saturday night. Ennis’ vicious left-right combination dropped a battered, bloodied Villa and referee David Fields immediately waved an end to their “Showtime Championship Boxing” main event at Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Theater.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:27 of the 10th round.

The dominant Ennis improved to 31-0 and produced his 28th knockout. Venezuela’s Villa (26-2, 24 KOs) lost by knockout for the first time in eight years as a pro.

“I appreciate Villa taking this fight,” Ennis told Showtime’s Jim Gray following his win. “Hats off to him and his family. I appreciate him for coming in and being a warrior. Let’s give it up for Villa. He’s a tough guy.”

Ennis, 26, made his first defense of the IBF interim welterweight title he won six months ago. The heavily hyped welterweight shut out Ukraine’s Karen Chukhadzhian on all three scorecards January 7 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., but he drew criticism from fans for allowing the crafty Chukhadzhian to take him the distance.

Chukhadzhian (22-2, 12 KOs) was an unknown underdog, yet he surprisingly ended Ennis’ 19-fight knockout streak. He also became the first opponent to take Ennis 12 rounds since Ennis made his pro debut in April 2016.

Villa, 30, was much more willing to engage with Ennis and he eventually paid dearly for his bravery. Villa’s only previous loss was a 12-round, split-decision defeat to Mexico’s Marcos Villasana (then 23-6) in April 2019.

Villa knocked off undefeated opponents in each of his previous two bouts. Ennis assured him, however, that their fight would be much more difficult than his 12-round, majority-decision victory over Rashidi Ellis (24-1, 15 KOs) or his eight-round, unanimous-decision defeat of Janelson Bocachica (17-1-1, 11 KOs).

“I was breaking him down and I came out victorious,” Ennis said. “I knew he was a tough kid. I just had to be smart and take my time, and keep touching and touching and eventually I was gonna get him.”

Ennis was way ahead at the time of stoppage on the scorecards of judges Lynne Carter (88-83), Mark Consentino (89-82) and John McKaie (89-82).

Fields informed Villa’s handlers before the start of the 10th round that their fighter had to “show me something,” a signal that was on the verge of stopping what had become an entirely one-sided assault. Villa kept coming forward in the 10th round, until Ennis knocked him down with a right hand that led to Fields to stopping the fight.

A New Jersey State Athletic Control Board physician examined Villa after an entirely one-sided eighth round. He was allowed to leave his corner for the ninth round, which Ennis easily won.

Ennis blasted Villa with a left uppercut when there were 50 seconds to go in the eighth round. About 10 seconds later, Ennis viciously drilled Villa with a three-punch combination that turned his head around more than once.

After rocking Villa in the sixth round, Ennis unloaded on a bloodied Villa for much of the seventh round. Ennis showboated toward the end of that round, after brutalizing Villa to his head and body.

Ennis’ right hand to the side of Villa’s head staggered him with 43 seconds to go in the sixth round. Two subsequent shots – a right to the back of Villa’s head and a left to his body – wobbled Villa again a couple seconds later.

Ennis sensed Villa was ready to go and tried to finish him. Villa valiantly survived Ennis’ onslaught and made it to the seventh round.

Ennis snuck in a left uppercut about 10 seconds into the sixth round.

With Ennis backed against the ropes, Villa landed a right uppercut a little more than 20 seconds into the fifth round. Ennis shook his head as he moved away from Villa to indicate that punch didn’t affect him.

Villa connected with another right hand with just over a minute remaining in the fifth round. Ennis again shook his head.

A straight left by Ennis backed up Villa with just over 1:20 to go in the fourth round. Ennis let his hands go in combination a little less than 30 seconds into the fourth round, but Villa came right back and threw a right hand.

Ennis landed a right-left combination of uppercuts about a minute into the third round. After landing those punches, Ennis went on the offensive about 10 seconds later and backed up Villa with an array of power punches.

Ennis went southpaw early in the second round. He caught Villa with a right hook about 40 seconds into the second round, which appeared to be the punch that bloodied Villa’s nose.

Villa pressed the action in the second half of the second round, but he mostly missed Ennis with his power punches.

Villa stood in front of Ennis throughout the first round, but Ennis mostly popped his jab and threw punches to Villa’s body in the opening three minutes. Ennis didn’t switch to the southpaw stance he so often utilizes until there were less than 15 seconds remaining in the first round.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.