About a year ago, after Terence Crawford started talking about fighting Canelo Alvarez, most people laughed it off. The hot take? ‘Cinnamon’ would steamroll the two-weight undisputed champion. The logic was simple: size matters, and Crawford was just too small to tangle with the Mexican powerhouse, no matter how slick his skills were. But how the tides have turned.
Despite Crawford’s underwhelming performance against Israil Madrimov last year, more and more experts began to rally behind the Nebraska-born southpaw. Then came Canelo’s lackluster bout against William Scull earlier this month. Suddenly, confidence tilted toward Crawford. However, just as the narrative began favoring ‘Bud,’ Canelo introduced a new wrinkle. His latest sparring partner—a dangerous new weapon in his arsenal.
Who is Canelo Alvarez sparring with to prepare for ‘Bud’?
According to an Instagram post from ‘Not Just Boxing,’ the four-division champion has enlisted the help of undefeated IBF and WBA welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, who has also expressed interest in facing Crawford. “Online sources say Canelo may be bringing in Boots Ennis to prepare for Crawford super fight on September 13,” the post read.
Crawford and Ennis share several key traits—switch-hitting ability, speed, sharp reflexes, high ring IQ, and a killer instinct—all of which could prove valuable in helping Canelo get ready for the challenge. The highly anticipated bout is slated for September 13th, although the venue remains undecided, with Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York City reportedly in the running.
Still, while Ennis and Crawford have noticeable similarities, there are also significant differences, particularly in experience and strategic approach. Whether or not Ennis is truly working with Canelo, the rumor has already sparked strong reactions among fans, who were left stunned by the development and eager to weigh in.
Terence Crawford is advised to call Floyd Mayweather and David Benavidez
Since the post went live, several hundred comments have poured in. One user seemed happy with the development. The user commented, “Why not? That’s a great idea,” the user wrote. Since it could be Crawford’s last fight, it would make sense for Ennis to help Canelo add a red notch on Crawford’s record, especially when Crawford didn’t allow him to do it himself.
Worried, the next user pleaded to Crawford to adopt the same strategy. “Bud needs to hit up Floyd [Mayweather],” the user wrote. If that were to happen, Floyd Mayweather would charge an insane amount to help Crawford learn how to beat Canelo Alvarez.
The next user suggested that Crawford should reach out to someone else. “Bud needs to call up [David] Benavidez asap,” the user wrote. However, David Benavidez may want the glory of beating Canelo to himself. Despite that, Benavidez believes Crawford can beat Canelo on his own.
September 13, 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: SAUL CANELO ALVAREZ 61-2-2-39KOs of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico weighed in at a thin-looking 166.8 while the challenger EDGAR BERLANGA 22-0-17KOs of Brooklyn, NY came in at 167.7 both fighters ready for their headliner tomorrow night boxing fight on PBC on Prime boxing at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Las Vegas USA – ZUMAo117 20240913_zsp_o117_019 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
Another user suggested that Ennis sparring with Canelo to help beat Crawford won’t be of much help. “[The] only thing Bud and ‘Boots’ fight[ing] styles [have] in common is the switching stances. They don’t fight the same….,” the user wrote. Even though Ennis and Crawford are different fighters, Crawford’s switch-hitting ability has played a key role in many of his victories. Learning how to counter that effectively could prove to be a major advantage for Canelo.
Meanwhile, this user praised the strategy to get help from Ennis, but doubted that learning to counter switch-hitting would be easy. “Good move, but Canelo needs to fight both orthodox and southpaw fights,” the user wrote. Given Canelo’s extensive experience in the sport, it shouldn’t prove too hard for the undisputed super middleweight champion.
That said, even though it’s not confirmed, Canelo Alvarez can get a leg up over Terence Crawford if Jaron Ennis is really working with his camp. However, only time will tell whether the collaboration is real. Do you think Ennis can help Canelo?
The post “Call Up Benavidez”: Canelo Alvarez’s Rumored Sparring Partner for Terence Crawford Fight Leaves Fans Amazed appeared first on EssentiallySports.
