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,” said Ryan. “He can’t do that because he’s not like that. He hasn’t fought nobody that has firepower like him.”
Garcia is pointing at 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 a lot of fans. His style has been built on control, stance-switching, and picking opponents apart once he figures them out. It has worked, but it hasn’t come against someone like Ennis.
Boots brings a different kind of pace and unpredictability. He can fight at range or inside, switch gears quickly, and carries power in both hands. That mix forces exchanges instead of allowing a slow read-and-react fight, which is where Crawford has been most comfortable.
There is also the age factor. Crawford turns 39 in September, and taking on a younger, faster fighter with a high-output attack is not the same type of assignment he has handled before. It’s a difficult fight to take late in a career built on control.
Garcia’s comments cut straight to that point. He’s not debating Crawford’s record. He’s questioning whether that record prepared him for someone like Ennis.
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