On Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Jaron “Boots” Ennis dialed up the dominant world-class performance that boxing observers have sought from him for several years when he battered Eimantas Stanionis for a sixth-round stoppage and two-belt-unifying win at Boardwalk Hall. The showing immediately revived talk of the 27-year-old Ennis, 34-0 (30 KOs), as the class of the welterweight division – and perhaps more.

To prove the latter, Ennis will need to consider tests against the other titleholders at 147 (Brian Norman Jnr and Mario Barrios), some high-profile recent entries in the division (Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney) and challenges further up the scale (Vergil Ortiz Jnr and others). Choices, choices. … So we put the question to our BoxingScene staff: Who should Ennis fight next?

Tris Dixon: While there are more mouth-watering fights at 154, and I’d love the Ortiz fight at some point, I would like to see Boots attempt to collect the remaining hardware at welterweight, which means Norman and Barrios. At 27, he has time on his side if those are contests that can be made. If they can’t, bring on the best at 154. And it’s worth putting Crawford’s name back out there. That is still a really good fight, as unlikely as it appears with the recent trend of some older fighters not wanting to give “clout” to the next generation.

Ryan Songalia: There’s only one answer that comes to mind for me: Ortiz. I know there is still some unfinished business at 147lbs in terms of unifying the belts, but after the statement Ennis made Saturday against Stanionis, I don’t personally need to see him fight the other belt holders.

Right now, Ennis needs a statement opponent, a fighter whom the public knows and whose name would move the needle. Ortiz has that respect, and there’s an angle that can be explored, as Ortiz was supposed to fight Stanionis but couldn’t get to fight night. After seeing Ennis’ body on fight week, I’m sure he would love the opportunity to drink water in the days leading up to a fight for a change.

Lucas Ketelle: Norman, who holds the WBO title, and Ennis could look to capture three of the four major titles in the division. A backstory also exists between the teams. It makes sense if Ennis wants to stay at welterweight. Norman might be the only welterweight who can match Ennis’ athletic traits, though Ennis seems to be in a league of his own after Saturday night.

Declan Warrington: Ortiz. I recognize the appeal of Norman and Barrios, and of becoming the undisputed champion, but Stanionis represented a tougher fight than either of those two are on course to, and Ennis moved up a level in the process of victory, so there’s no doubting he’s the leading welterweight in the world.

A fight between Ennis and Ortiz might even represent a fight between the best at welterweight and junior middleweight. There’s also the reality that they were long considered on course to fight each other at 147lbs, and that a fight between them could be expected to be competitive, high in quality and exciting. Ennis may even prove an even better fighter at 154lbs (Terence Crawford-Ennis at 154lbs is also more appealing than Saul Alvarez-Crawford, and Crawford-Ennis and Alvarez-David Benavidez instead of Alvarez-Crawford would be even more appealing again).

Jason Langendorf: The Ennis fight I would most like to see is probably no different than yours: Ortiz. That seems unlikely to happen (at least for now) after botched negotiations left bad blood that still stirs. Meanwhile, there’s too much money to be made for Garcia and Haney to take any path other than following their Times Square fights with a rematch against one another.

Ennis’ most prudent path looks like further unifying – and perhaps becoming undisputed – at welterweight, the sort of stuff that Hall of Fame resumes are made of. With any luck, Terence Crawford will still be an option in the not-too-distant future. If not, Sebastian Fundora and perhaps even Xander Zayas could make for legacy-building, lucrative matchups.

Elliot Worsell: Although Norman and Barrios are more likely options in the short term, I’m impatient, so I’ll say Ortiz. A fight between Ennis and Ortiz is the most appealing option, stylistically, to me at least, and I would rather they get it made sooner than later. We all know what tends to happen when you wait.

Owen Lewis: Ortiz. So often we talk about Ennis like he’s already a junior middleweight, and the jump from 147lbs is significant. If he makes the leap, it’ll be a gift to boxing fans, not merely a fulfillment of expectations. But I think he would destroy Barrios, who is among the more vulnerable titleholders, and though Norman is a more interesting fight, Ortiz is the dream fight.

Ortiz is certainly the best junior middleweight without a title, and maybe the best overall, while Ennis is the unquestionable – if not undisputed – king at welterweight. This is already a legacy fight for each of them and as sure a bet for an action fight as any matchup in the sport. Both are offensive machines with tendencies to let their aggression get them into trouble. I think we would see knockdowns, astonishing durability and the winner becoming the new darling of boxing.

Tom Ivers: With last night’s performance, Ennis has established himself as the best fighter at 147 by a country mile. I really don’t see the appeal in fighting Norman or Barrios. I think a fight with Ortiz would be the best welterweight versus the best junior middleweight. I’d really love to see how Ennis deals with Ortiz’s intense pressure. I would have made Ortiz the favorite if the pair had agreed to fight a few months back when they were in negotiations, but after Saturday night, I think Ennis could beat them all at 154lbs.