Sparring with Canelo Alvarez is a rare privilege—one that very few fighters are fortunate enough to experience. But this undefeated interim WBC super welterweight champion isn’t just any fighter. Even as an amateur, he was a seven-time national champion. And as a pro, he has won every fight, except two, by knockout. In late 2021, as he prepared for his comeback the following year, the 27-year-old Vergil Ortiz Jr. was considering a switch to train under Canelo’s longtime coach, Eddy Reynoso, a two-time trainer of the year award winner.

Ortiz, who for long had trained under legendary coach Robert Garcia, spent roughly a month at Canelo’s gym in San Diego, training under Reynoso’s watchful eye. Although the partnership didn’t become permanent—Vergil Ortiz Jr. eventually returned to train with Robert Garcia—he shared many rounds with Canelo during that stint. Now, with Alvarez’s blockbuster $200 million bout against Terence Crawford inching closer on September 13 in Las Vegas, Ortiz opened up about the experience during an interview with Ring Champs with Ak & Barak.

“I did,” Ortiz Jr. said, when asked if he had sparred with Canelo Alvarez during his time with Reynoso. When pressed further about how it went, he admitted, “That dude’s good. He’s good. He’s good… He hits hard, but he held back for sure.” However, one particular instance really stuck with Ortiz during their sparring session. “One thing I remember was I set him up for a shot and it worked…,” Ortiz Jr. recalled. He landed a crushing hook on Canelo, but what happened next left him feeling embarrassed.

“I’m talking about like I made him drop his hand, thinking I was going to do something else, and I hit him as hard as I could,” Ortiz Jr. said. Despite hitting Canelo with the hardest punch in his arsenal, Ortiz Jr. confessed it did nothing. “His head went like this,” Ortiz Jr. explained, motioning how Canelo’s head barely even moved after the punch. “And he was like ‘Eso!’ He was like, ‘That was good…’ It didn’t do anything. I was just like f–k (exasperated).” Coming from a man who, at the time, had a 100% knockout rate, it should tell you the kind of chin Canelo Alvarez possesses.

Regardless, Ortiz isn’t the only one who thinks Canelo is a great fighter with a huge advantage. A year before the Canelo-Crawford fight was announced, a heavyweight legend sent Crawford a distressing warning about the fight.

Mike Tyson warned Terence Crawford about Canelo Alvarez

Terence Crawford is moving up two weight classes to try and become a three-weight undisputed champion, but Mike Tyson has concerns. A year before the fight was officially confirmed, Tyson sent a distressing message to Crawford. “Man, he can do what he wants, but I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Tyson told ES News.

“What would he have, I don’t know, I don’t think it’s a good idea… I just think he doesn’t have to do it,” Tyson added. Tyson’s warning echoes the concerns of several former fighters, all wary of the size and power difference. While many remain skeptical of Crawford’s move, others, like Teddy Atlas, believe the Omaha native can pull off the upset. 

Despite Tyson’s fear, Terence Crawford, as well as many others, remains confident about his chances against Canelo Alvarez. Canelo might have an iron chin and crushing power, as Ortiz Jr. revealed, but Crawford’s agility and switch-hitting abilities may give him an edge. What do you think? Who will come out victorious?