Todd Grisham Says Jaron Ennis Must Dominate Xander Zayas To Reach Terence Crawford Level

“As great as Boots Ennis is, I still don’t think he’s getting the respect from quite a lot of hardcore boxing fans,” said Grisham to DAZN Boxing. “This looks like the moment for Boots. Not only do I feel he has to win this fight, I feel he must dominate and separate himself from Xander Zayas and say, ‘Look, this guy’s not even on my level. I’m on the Terence Crawford level. That’s the extent of fighter I’m.’”

Ennis, 35-0, captured two welterweight titles before deciding to pursue larger opportunities at 154 kilos. He revealed through the documentary that he specifically requested the Zayas fight after negotiations for a bout with Vergil Ortiz Jr. did not materialize.

The fight for Zayas represents the most important challenge of his profession. The Puerto Rican star has repeatedly stated that facing elite opposition is vital to realize greatness, and he pushed for the matchup despite entering because the underdog in lots of observers’ eyes.

Grisham believes the stakes are particularly high for ‘Boots’ because expectations have followed him throughout his rise through the ranks.

“I feel he’s a pound-for-pound primary within the waiting,” Grisham said. “But to do this, you would like fights like this.”

The winner of the June 27 clash will leave Barclays Center as one in all boxing’s premier names at junior middleweight and with a powerful argument for a spot near the highest of the pound-for-pound rankings.