Ryan didn’t stop there.
“I think Boots gets his a**. I don’t think he’s as good as people say. He’s not like a Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s not Tommy Hearns,” Ryan said. “He can’t do it because he’s not like that. He hasn’t fought against someone with firepower like him.”
Garcia points to something Crawford has managed to avoid for most of his career. Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) has faced skilled opponents, but none with the combination of youth, speed and offensive variety that Ennis brings. That type of fighter creates problems that can’t be solved with timing alone.
Crawford has recently compared himself to all-time greats like Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran. That comparison doesn’t land for many fans. His style is built on control, stance switching and picking apart opponents once he figures them out. It worked, but it didn’t come against someone like Ennis.
Boots brings a different kind of pace and unpredictability. He can fight at range or inside, shift gears quickly and carry power in both hands. That mix forces exchanges instead of allowing a slow read-and-react fight, which is where Crawford was most comfortable.
There is also the age factor. Crawford turns 39 in September, and facing a younger, faster fighter with a high-output offense isn’t the same type of assignment he’s handled before. It’s a tough battle to take control late in a career building.
Garcia’s comments cut right to that point. He doesn’t debate Crawford’s record. He questions whether that record prepared him for someone like Ennis.
