Terence Crawford told the media today that he sees himself in unbeaten Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, and he says his time will come for him to fight for a world title.
Where WBO welterweight champion Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) stopped short is by choosing not to say that it would be him that would give the 26-year-old Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) a shot.
Crawford has more hand speed than Ennis, but he’s long in the tooth at 36, and his two fights with Errol Spence Jr are likely to age him even more physically.
The Crawford that exists in his current form will be altered by the time he’s done fighting Spence twice, and he could lose both by knockout.
Ennis is a big puncher and not the type of guy that you want to be mixing it up with after two grueling fights against Spence. Look what Errol did to the fact & ribs of his last opponent Yordenis Ugas.
It’s been over a year, and only now is Ugas ready to return to the ring after suffering an eye and rib injury in his tenth round knockout loss to Spence.
“I always said Boots [Ennis] was a great talent. I always told everybody that I supported him. They always said he reminded them so much of me,” said Terence Crawford during today’s virtual press conference when asked about whether he’ll fight Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
“I kind of see myself in him. Yes, he deserves a title shot, but his time will come, but right now, business is business.”
Boots is a younger, bigger, stronger, and more fearless version of Crawford. Ennis doesn’t move around, trying not to get hit the way Crawford does, and he doesn’t focus on gimmickry by switching stances all the time the way he does.
If Crawford really believed he could beat Boots, he wouldn’t be in a rush to move up to 154 after his two fights with Spence.
There’s nothing to go to for Crawford to move up to 154, now that Jermell Charlo has moved up to 168 to get that big payday against Canelo Alvarez. Jermell probably won’t ever return to 154 after he gets a taste of the Canelo money.
Crawford needs to stay at 147 after he handles his business against Spence. If he loses one or both fights to Errol, that’s another reason why it would be pointless for Crawford to move up to 154. He needs to stay at 147 and let Boots Ennis have a crack t him so he can get experience and build his name.
