Terence Crawford has explained why he's not interested in fighting Jaron Ennis, even though Ennis is willing to move up to super-welterweight for the challenge.
Crawford, a four-weight world champion, recently vacated his welterweight belts and moved up a division. He's now set his sights on bigger fights, particularly a potential clash with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.
In a recent interview with The Ring Magazine, Crawford addressed the calls for a fight with Ennis, the 27-year-old welterweight world champion from Philadelphia known as 'Boots'.
"They're doing the right thing calling me out. I definitely get it. But I had to work so hard to get the [big] fights I got. They ain't done half of what I did to get to me. You want me to backtrack and forget the biggest fight in boxing – me and Canelo – to fight Boots or Vergil? What am I gaining from that?"
Crawford's stance comes from his own experiences trying to secure big fights earlier in his career. He recalled wanting to fight Manny Pacquiao and feeling bitter when it didn't happen. Now, he sees things differently.
"Pacquiao was at the age where he couldn't afford to take another loss, so fighting a guy like Terence Crawford at that point of his career wasn't smart. I couldn't get a Pacquiao fight even though I had multiple accomplishments, but everybody else could. I was bitter at the time, but it was a business decision. I understand now."
While Crawford waits for a response from Canelo about a potential fight, Ennis is moving forward with his own career. He's set to defend his IBF belt against Karen Chukhadzhian on November 9, the same fighter he beat for the interim belt last year.
Crawford's decision not to fight Ennis shows how top fighters often prioritize bigger matches and paydays over facing up-and-coming talent. It's a business decision that can frustrate fans but makes sense from a career perspective.
