Jaron Ennis respects Sergey Lipinets simply for taking their fight.

The highly regarded welterweight from Philadelphia needed an accomplished opponent who was willing to test him. Lipinets jumped at that opportunity and obviously is a step up in opposition for the 23-year-old Ennis, who wants to prove his readiness for better welterweights than Lipinets.

As appreciative and respectful as Ennis is of the former IBF junior welterweight champ, the undefeated contender predicted another dominant performance during a virtual press conference Friday for their “Showtime Championship Boxing” main event April 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

“Training camp is going well,” Ennis said. “We’re preparing well, just ready to rock and roll, ready to shine and take over this division. It’s my time. And with this fight, this is the fight that’s gonna take me to the next level and bring out the skills and my ability, and stuff that y’all never seen before.

“And y’all will see an amazing, strong, sharp fighter, a punishing performance and, you know, getting that knockout at the end of the night. And I know Sergey Lipinets, he gonna come forward and be right there in front of me. And his style, that’s perfect for me. His style clashes perfect with mine and he’s gonna run into shots all night long.”

The powerful, skillful Ennis has knocked out 92 percent of his pro opponents (26-0, 24 KOs, 1 NC), but the 32-year-old Lipinets hasn’t been stopped inside the distance during his six-year, 18-fight career.

Kazakhstan’s Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) has lost only a 12-round unanimous decision to four-division champion Mikey Garcia (40-1, 30 KOs), who won the IBF 140-pound crown from Lipinets in March 2018 at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio. Garcia dropped Lipinets during the seventh round, but Lipinets recovered and went the distance in a fight he lost decisively (117-110, 117-110 and 116-111).

Lipinets settled for a majority draw with Canada’s Custio Clayton in his most recent appearance, a 12-round fight for the IBF interim welterweight title October 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The 32-year-old Lipinets is convinced he won at least seven rounds against Clayton (18-0-1, 12 KOs).

Ennis-Lipinets will headline Showtime’s three-bout broadcast April 10.

Lithuania’s Eimantas Stanionis (12-0, 9 KOs) and Puerto Rico’s Thomas Dulorme (25-4-1, 16 KOs) are set to meet in the co-feature, a 12-round WBA welterweight elimination match. The tripleheader will start with a 12-round, 115-bout in which the Philippines’ Jerwin Ancajas (32-1-2, 22 KOs) will make a mandated defense of his IBF junior bantamweight championship against Mexico’s Jonathan Rodriguez (22-1, 16 KOs).

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