Timothy Bradley was asked by FightHype’s Sean Zittel about Jaron “Boots” Ennis, the Philadelphia boxer known for his knockout power and technical finesse, and how he’d fare against Terence Crawford, the current welterweight champion.
“Are you kidding me right now,” Bradley said with disbelief, suggesting that a fight between the two would be a mismatch. “Ennis has been getting all these knockouts of all these other different guys, but never been in the ring with an animal like Crawford,” Bradley commented, noting the stark difference in skill and experience between the two fighters.
Despite acknowledging Ennis’ talent and future potential, Bradley suggested that the promising pugilist has yet to be truly tested.
“Boots is a spectacular fighter. I’m a fan of Boots. I think he’s next,” Bradley admitted. “But he needs to be tested. He needs to be tested with a guy like [Keith] Thurman, a Danny Garcia, veterans out there that can punch, guys that can think with him,” he advised, arguing that Ennis needed to face more established opponents to prove his talent.
According to Bradley, fighting Crawford would be a trial by fire for Ennis.
“What happens when you’re not in front of him, what happens then to that Boots?” Bradley questioned, suggesting that Ennis’ style could be disrupted by Crawford’s boxing IQ. “He makes a lot of mistakes, shows a lot of inexperience rushing in there trying to go for the kill, leaving himself wide open, leaving himself exposed,” he analyzed, revealing what he thinks are vulnerabilities in Ennis’ approach.
Bradley believes that Crawford’s boxing acumen and movement would exploit these vulnerabilities, stating that, “He’s going to set you up, he’s going to lay trap, and he’s going to catch him. He’s Gonna Knock You Out.”
Bradley, a former multiple world champion in two weight classes, including the unified WBC and WBO light welterweight titles, emphasizes the credibility of his insights, stating,
“This is my assessment from a fighter that [is a] Hall of Famer. I’ve done it. I’ve been in the ring with Crawford. I know what he’s capable of doing.”
Despite his pointed critique of certain fighters, Bradley ended the interview on a positive note.
“Boxing is great. We’re in a great place right now in the sport, man,” he expressed his optimism, reflecting the general excitement and anticipation surrounding the current crop of fighters and potential matchups.