By Allan Fox: The IBF may need to start preparing to strip Terence Crawford of his title once he moves up to 154 for his rematch with Errol Spence Jr because his mandatory Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis wants his shot at the belt.
Crawford would be holding his IBF belt, as long with his other three 147-lb straps, hostage, sitting on them for no reason other than to validate him, keeping them like war ribbons with no intention of getting back out on the battlefield to keep putting his hide at risk.
It’s pointless for ‘Boots’ Ennis to be made to wait on the Crawford-Spence 2 rematch when it’s clear that Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) has no intention of returning to defend his recently won undisputed welterweight championship against him or anyone.
Crawford, 36, is counting on Jermell Charlo returning to 154 to defend his undisputed junior middleweight title aag after his fight against four-belt 168-lb champion Canelo Alvarez on September 30th.
Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) already had to wait on the Crawford vs. Spence fight last weekend in their undisputed welterweight clash in Las Vegas.
Crawford rules out Boots fight
In an interview this week, Crawford made it clear that he’s not interested in fighting ‘Boots’ Ennis, saying:
“That could happen because we’re at the same weight class, but at this point in time, I’m looking for bigger & better opportunities, like [Jermell] Charlo,” said Crawford to HOT 97 when asked about his interest in defending against ‘Boots’ Ennis next.
If there was any question on whether Crawford would return to welterweight to defend against his IBF mandatory ‘Boots’ Ennis, his statement of “looking for Bigger,” fights makes it clear that he’s not going to be making a defense against him.
Unfortunately, Crawford’s forlorn vision of Jermell Charlo returning to 154 to allow him to snatch his undisputed champion from him in a single whack is a dreary, deluded pipe dream because that’s not happening in this lifetime. Charlo is done with 154 and never coming back.
Jermell will likely beat Canelo on September 30th, making him the king of the 168-lb division, and will set the wheels in motion for a series of fights.
The first would be a rematch with the shell of Canelo, and then from there, fights against Caleb Plant, David Benavidez, Demetrius Andrade & David Morrell Jr.
Jermell won’t waste his time on a chicken feed fight against Terence Crawford, who would languish at 154, with it essentially becoming his St Helena island prison, like a modern-day Napoleon.
Crawford needs to get a clue before it’s too late and move up to 168 if he’s serious about fighting Jermell and the other big names. He’s already thrown away 15 years of his career fighting no names until finally taking a step up against Spence. Does he want to waste the last two or three years he has left?
If Crawford stays at 154 beyond his tentative rematch with Spence in December, the only compelling fight on the horizon would be against Tim Tszyu for the WBO belt, and that wouldn’t be worth it. That’s a high-risk, low-reward fight for Crawford.
“I can’t wait to take they cheese. I just keep saying that; keep doubting me. We love it all,” said Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to YSM Sports Media, reacting to being told that many boxing fans are saying on social media that he’s not ready for Terence Crawford at this early stage of his career.
“When we take your cheese, keep that same energy. Don’t try to switch sides, saying, ‘Ah, I always knew he could do it.’ No, I ain’t trying to hear none of that. Stay where y’all at. I see everything.
“Definitely, that’s the first option. I want that now,” said ‘Boots’ Ennis when asked if he wants Crawford next.
