Diehards and those in boxing circles knew how special Terence Crawford was. It simply took the rest of the world a bit more time to catch up.
The world title reigns, dominant wins, and undefeated record were all notable but many were convinced that Crawford was doing it against tenuous competition. In order to shut his doubters up, Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) needed to not only get a big fight but also show out.
Errol Spence Jr. was Crawford’s shining moment. Not only did he bring three titles to the dance floor but his name and status were exactly what Crawford needed. As their July 29th clash grew closer and closer, fans and media members were scratching their heads when asked to make a prediction.
Largely, their vote was split down the middle, making Crawford’s lopsided win even more impressive. Now, with his second undisputed run, the pound-for-pound star is looking for only huge fights and even bigger paydays.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis, the smooth-hitting Philly star, doesn’t quite qualify as a big fight. Although Crawford was stripped of his IBF title and Ennis was immediately elevated, talks of a possible matchup between them haven’t taken place. And, unfortunately for Ennis, it doesn’t appear as though they ever will. With Canelo Alvarez being Crawford’s number one target, he’s ignored the brazen call-outs of Ennis.
Although most understand where Crawford is coming from, Gabriel Rosado doesn’t like it.
“In all honesty, Boots earned his spot,” Rosado told Sean Zittel of FightHype.com. “He beat the guys he was supposed to beat, and they’re in the same weight class.”
Ennis, 26, has the sort of buzz that’s seldom seen nowadays. Up until this point, not a single fighter has challenged him. The newly crowned welterweight belt holder spent his 2023 wiping the floor with Karen Chukhadzhian and Roiman Villa. Now, while unlikely, he’s hoping that Crawford will take him up on his offer and face him next.
At the age of 36, if you aren’t depositing a significant amount of money into his bank account, Crawford would rather pass on anyone not named Canelo Alvarez. With that said, getting older in the sport comes with the territory.
According to most, Crawford is viewed as the best fighter in the world. But, if he wants to hold onto that crown that’s dangling from his fingertips, Rosado believes he’ll need to prove himself against some of the young lions like Jaron Ennis.
“This is a young man’s sport. You the king, you on top, you pound-for-pound but now you got the young killer coming up. To stay in the game, you gotta fight those dudes.”
