Jaron Ennis does a great job avoiding punches in the ring, but the criticism he is receiving outside of it is landing directly on his chin.

Shortly after pounding Eimantas Stanionis on April 12 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to become the welterweight division’s Ring, IBF and WBA champion, Ennis had a decision to make. On one hand, he wanted to continue chasing down the beltholders in the division in a bid to become undisputed champion. On the other hand, making 147 pounds was painfully difficult.

While his goal was to become undisputed, he decided against sticking around and moved up in weight. He’ll officially make his 154-pound debut against Uisma Lima on Oct. 11 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Fans have ripped the switch-hitting star since the news broke Wednesday. Angola’s Lima (14-1, 10 KOs) is a relatively unknown boxer. He has beaten three undefeated fighters in a row, but he has yet to fight stateside.

Is the criticism fair? Well, considering that Lima was his last choice, Ennis doesn't believe so.

“That’s not who we wanted,” Ennis told YSM Sports Media. “I asked for [Jesus] Ramos and [Serhii] Bohachuk and all these other guys. Lima was the only one who was available and took it. Everybody else is either injured or got a fight coming up or a mandatory. I’m glad Lima took it.”

Ultimately, Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs) wants to use Lima as a steppingstone as he makes his way toward the junior middleweight division's current champions.

Along the way, however, he’ll have to navigate the bloodthirsty potential opponents who are waiting on him, most notably Vergil Ortiz Jr. Promoters Oscar De La Hoya (Ortiz) and Eddie Hearn (Ennis) have claimed that fight will eventually happen.

Ennis supposedly wants them all. For now, he’ll keep his focus on Lima.

“We gonna handle him,” Ennis said, “get him out the way, and on to the next.”