Errol Spence Jr. praised Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis but backed himself to defeat the young contender should they ever fight.
Ennis is building out his career at welterweight and he is currently ranked at No. 4 by The Ring Magazine, meaning he may not have too long to wait by moving up the rankings with the governing bodies and forcing a title shot.
Current champions Spence and Yordenis Ugas are expected to meet for a unification clash, with WBO champion Terence Crawford a likely target for whichever fighter wins the first match-up.
Speaking to the DAZN Boxing Show, Spence praised Boots’ attitude.
“I like Boots, he can go,” he acknowledged. “He’s got a great mentality and got his dad in his corner. I like that confirmation, he’s fully focused. He’s going to be a threat in the welterweight divisions.
“He passes the eye test but you’ve got to get in there with the skills.”
However, Spence was not afraid, seeing himself as a rounded competitor at 147lbs with more to show despite his trouble in recent years with a serious car crash and problems with injury, coupled with the struggle to make weight effectively.
“I can do it all: box, bang, counterpunch. I can do everything. I’m getting much better too, a lot of people haven’t seen me in the gym, with my weight issues, not making weight in the right way.
“The programme I have now - I’m going to be 180% better.”