Vergil Ortiz Jr, a super-welterweight contender, shared his thoughts on Canelo Alvarez and made a prediction for the upcoming Canelo vs Crawford fight. The bout for the undisputed super-middleweight title will happen on Saturday, September 13, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ortiz, who has sparred with Canelo in the past, gave insights into the Mexican champion's abilities. He recalled his experience at Eddy Reynoso's gym, where he got a firsthand feel of Canelo's power and defensive skills.
"That dude's good, he's good … He hits hard but he held back, he held back for sure. But the one thing I remember was I set him up for a shot and it worked, I don't wanna say which one because I don't want to give away my secrets, but I hit him with like a hard hook. I'm talking about like I made him drop his hand thinking I was gonna do something else and I hit him as hard as I could and his head [barely moved]."
Ortiz noted that while Canelo hit hard, he restrained himself during sparring. The young fighter managed to land a solid hook on Canelo, but was surprised by how little it affected the champion. This experience gave Ortiz a clear picture of Canelo's punching power and strong chin.
When asked about the upcoming fight between Canelo and Terence Crawford, Ortiz didn't mince words. He doesn't think Crawford will come out on top.
"I don't think so [Crawford beats Canelo] and look, hear me out, I respect Crawford and everything that he's doing but he just moved up from 147 so I'm just gonna treat him as a 147 pounder, he's jumping up three weight classes to fight someone who was like the number one fighter in all of boxing."
Ortiz pointed out that Crawford, who's 37, just moved up from 147 lbs and will be jumping three weight classes to face Canelo. Despite Crawford being on the verge of becoming a three-time undisputed champion, Ortiz believes this will be the toughest test of his career.
Canelo, once considered the top boxer across all weight classes, will present a significant challenge for Crawford. The size difference and Canelo's proven power at higher weights are factors Ortiz considers crucial.
This fight marks a pivotal moment for both fighters. For Canelo, it's a chance to reassert his dominance. For Crawford, it's an opportunity to prove he can conquer yet another weight class against one of boxing's biggest stars.
As the boxing world eagerly awaits this clash of titans, Ortiz's insights add another layer of intrigue to what promises to be an epic showdown in Las Vegas.
Ortiz shared these thoughts during an appearance on Ring Champs with Ak & Barak. For more information on Crawford's career and achievements, ESPN has a comprehensive biography.
