Jarron Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) is all set to challenge Xander Zayas (23-0, 13 KOs) for his unified WBA and WBO super welterweight titles at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, on June 27, 2026. However, there is something that piqued (and still does) the curiosity of fans a lot more: his time as Canelo Alvarez’s (63-3-2, 39 KOs) sparring partner.
As he sat down with Ak & Barak for Ring Champs, he delved into his experience sparring with the pound-for-pound champ,
“I was out there for two weeks. Well, I was out there for 13 days, I think. So, I think we sparred four five times. I think we did four (rounds) the first time, four the second time. And the last two times I did six and then I did eight,” he said. “I was in there, you know, being myself, having fun. And like I said, I be picking his brain. He’s like 70 fights in, you know, so he knows different things and little tricks and I’m picking his brain. I’m seeing what’s working, what I can do…He was smart. He takes his time; he’s like super patient.”
The Ennis/Alvarez sparring story became public in 2025 during Canelo’s preparation for his superfight with Terence Crawford. He brought Ennis into camp in Lake Tahoe because Boots’ style was seen as one of the closest simulations to Crawford available in boxing. Multiple trainers and analysts viewed it as a serious move by Canelo’s team because Ennis wasn’t someone you could call a “light touch” sparring partner, but an elite-level clobber machine in his own right.
In Ennis’ words, the sessions were competitive but respectful rather than some dramatic “gym war.” However, when asked if he was the hardest puncher he faced, ‘Boots’ had to nod in the negative,
“No, the hardest puncher I’ve been in there with was my brother, Farah. He punches really, he’s still getting in there, He’s like 260 now,” he said while also adding. “I was glad to have my brothers and my dad as well. They’ve seen everything. They’re like, ‘Bro stay in the gym because you never know when you’re gonna get a call.’”
“Everybody Different”
But what does he have to say about his upcoming opponent? When asked about how he’d compare Zayas to Vergil Ortiz or Sebastian Fundora, Ennis only had one thing to say.
“Everybody different in their own way. But, I’ll say Xander a little better than those guys because he does a little more. With Ortiz you know what we’re getting. He’s coming straight forward. With Fundora, he’s tall. With Xander I feel like he could box a little bit and he tries to rumble too,” he said. However, he also admitted, “I can’t really say because I’m not in there with these guys.”
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