Former featherweight champion and now famous American coach Robert Garcia talked to a reporter from a local news portal.
AT
conversation the mentor commented on the last duel for the title of “interim” IBF welterweight champion (up to 66.7 kg) between the rising star from the USA Jaron Ennis (30-0, 27 KOs) and the Ukrainian Karen Chukhadzhyan (21-2, 11 KOs), which ended in favor of the American fighter. Robert also spoke about Ennis’s potential opposition against compatriot Virgil Ortiz (19-0, 19 KOs), whom Garcia has been coaching for several years.
Report from vRINGe: Ennis-Chukhadjian: He doesn’t bark, he bites!
Jaron Ennis fought Karen recently… can’t pronounce his last name. Jaron received a lot of criticism. What do you think of the fight and performance of Boots Ennis?
“I can be the one to say that he didn’t look good and should have done better. There is one thing in boxing, and that is your extreme performance. It’s how the boxing world remembers you and how it talks about you. If it wasn’t great, then everyone would think he’s not such a great fighter, he needs to work hard, he needs this, he needs that. I think that the opponent was just uncomfortable. Styles make fights. I think the guy was awkward, difficult, and made things difficult for Ennis. Ennis did look raw at times, a little desperate to land a hard punch. But this is just one fight.
He looked sensational in his previous fights. I think he is still one of the best welterweights in the world. But because of his extreme performance, this is what everyone will talk about, this is what everyone will remember. If you ask me, I don’t think he looked great either. I can tell right now that he can be beaten, but his next performance could be better. He can fight any champion or any top prospect and look sensational. I think it was one of those shows where maybe his opponent wasn’t known in the US or no one knew who he was, maybe he didn’t train hard, maybe there were distractions. Maybe he just had problems in boxing.
A lot of people don’t know that when fighters enter the ring, they’re coming out of a two-month hard training camp. Some fighters get injured, some fighters get knocked out, down or even knocked out in sparring and they still fight. Some fighters have personal problems, family problems, children problems, wife problems. But everyone is judged only by the extreme performance. The same thing happens with Boots. Everyone is talking about it, including me. I can say the same things, but let’s see how he performs in the next fight.
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– A lot of people connect him with a guy you know – Virgil Ortiz. A lot of people said that Boots would easily stop Ortiz. But now, after this fight, people are kind of saying that Ortiz will beat Ennis. What are your thoughts on their fight together?
“I think one performance that wasn’t your best shouldn’t determine how you fight someone like Virgil. I think Boots is still a great fighter. If people previously thought that he would stop Virgil easily, and now, after a not-so-great performance, they say that Virgil will beat him easily, that’s wrong. As for me, I will say that you guys don’t know what it’s like to be in the ring with Virgil. I’ve been with him for a few years and I just know this guy can’t be stopped. You can be the most talented fighter in the world, you can have most of the skills, but when a train comes at you, takes your punches, just laughs at your punches and keeps going, working, working 12 rounds, it’s fucking hard! Nobody gave Virgil a chance before this Ennis fight, but I still thought Virgil had what it takes to beat him. It’s because Jarron wasn’t in the ring with someone like Virgil.
Do you think Virgil can take Ennis’ punches?
– I think yes. Virgil is strong. Physically, mentally, he can take a hit. People blame him for being a little shaken up in the fight against Kavaliauskas. Yes, it was, but Kavaliauskas also hits hard. I coached Kavaliauskas. Mean Machine f****t don’t cry. But he kept. He didn’t fall, he took that hit and continued to fight. So he’s taking a good hit.
You still see Ortiz as the favorite. More because of Ennis’ extreme performance?
– Not because of the extreme performance, but because of what I know. And I know that Boots has never been in the ring with the likes of Virgil. He went against solid names, but they could fall, give up or get knocked out. Virgil won’t get knocked out and he’s not the one to give up. Virgil will continue to move forward. You can be successful the first half of the fight, but then don’t forget that you still have to do the same for six fucking rounds. It is not easy. I’m telling you. The last two or three rounds won’t be easy.