IBF welterweight champion Jaron Ennis is worried for Terence Crawford as the pound-for-pound star steps up to face Canelo Alvarez this year.
Crawford is taking a year out of pursuing more straps at 154 pounds to go for broke and risk his undefeated record against the super middleweight ruler.
‘Bud’ has longed for a significant challenge in his career since defeating Errol Spence Jr. in the summer of 2023. Canelo presents the toughest test of the Omaha native’s career as he puts his exceptional 41-0, 31 KOs record on the line against the Mexican superstar.
Saudi Arabia’s head matchmaker and Ring Magazine owner, Turki Alalshikh, is putting his money where his mouth is as Crawford aims to challenge for the undisputed title at 168 pounds.
Jumping up 14 pounds from super welterweight, Crawford will face Canelo in September at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Crawford is one of the only fighters on the planet who can become champion in fight weight classes with an upset win.
He added a fourth weight win against Israil Madrimov last August, and provided Canelo beats William Scull on May 3, the bout will be for all the marbles at 168.
Ahead of the super-fight, Ennis gave Crawford advice as he finalizes preparations to face Eimantas Stanionis in a unification this weekend.
“You have to lean towards Canelo because he has been at that weight for a long time now,” Ennis told Fight Hub TV. “He has been putting big guys out, and Crawford is a little smaller.
“We will have to see how it plays out in September. We don’t know. It’s boxing, but I think you have to lean more towards Canelo because he is not really even a 168-pounder.
“He probably really should be at 60, maybe, and he has been hurting these guys and dropping these guys and them guys being way bigger than him come fight night.
“I know that for sure, they are probably close to 200 pounds, and he is dropping those guys.”
On Crawford taking a year out and not having any fights in between, Ennis stated, “I think Crawford should take a warm up fight. At 160 just to get the feeling of somebody a little bit bigger.
“I know when you go up in weight, you have to put that muscle on to be heavier, so he might not want to take a fight.
“He is trying to build up right now, but I think he should just stay sharp, and that way he doesn’t have a long lay off.
“It’s going to be a great fight, and the fans want to see it, so be it,” he added.
Ennis has his hands full with Stanionis on Saturday night. The 33-0, 29 KOs star takes on another unbeaten champion following his decision win over Karen Chukhadzhian in November.
The pair collide at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, with Ennis putting his IBF welterweight title on the line to add the WBA version.
A win for Ennis could set up a three-belt clash with Mario Barrios, which trainer Bob Santos confirmed to WBN on Friday, that it could happen next.
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Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, an experienced boxing writer and World Boxing News Editor since 2010.
