Terence Crawford has predicted that rising welterweight Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis will eventually lose the support of boxing fans. Crawford argues that as Ennis continues to dominate, the public will begin to dismiss his victories and turn against him, a familiar cycle for elite fighters.
Speaking recently, the undisputed welterweight champion asserted that Ennis is currently in a honeymoon phase with the public but warned that the tide of opinion will inevitably turn. Crawford stated that Ennis is not yet the main attraction in the sport. “Boots ain’t the face of boxing. Canelo is still the face of boxing. I’ve been dealing with this type of stuff for years. He’s just getting a glimpse of it,” said Crawford.
Crawford expanded on his prediction, detailing a pattern where dominant champions see their achievements downplayed as expectations rise. He believes the same fans currently praising Ennis will eventually become his harshest critics. “Everybody is jumping on his train, but he don’t know those same people are going to be turning against him in a minute. Then he’s going to be at a point where he’s like, ‘Damn, I’m talented, but I’m not getting any credit. Everything I do, they say you supposed to do that. Every person I beat, they like, you supposed to beat.’”
The comparison is not based on fighting style. Ennis is an aggressive, forward-pressing fighter who seeks knockouts, a contrast to the more defensive-minded boxers Crawford cited, such as Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Andre Ward. Still, Crawford insists the psychological dynamic with the fanbase remains the same regardless of a fighter’s approach in the ring.
He concluded that Ennis is destined to face the same scrutiny that has followed other top fighters of this generation, including himself. Crawford said: “He’s going to get to that point, and then there’s going to be another fighter that comes along, and then they’re going to start comparing them to him. Then they’re going to start taking all the credit away from him. Some people are going to give him credit. But he’s going to deal with the same thing that Floyd dealt with, Terence Crawford dealed with, Andre Ward and Shakur is dealing with right now. And history is going to repeat itself. He’s going to deal with the same things that everybody before him dealed with, and then he’s going to have to handle it.”
