Terence Crawford's Next Fight Takes Unexpected Turn After Champion's Revelation: "I Understand Now"

Terence Crawford has decided against facing Jaron Ennis, despite growing interest from fans and pundits in the potential matchup. The four-weight world champion from Omaha, Nebraska, believes he has nothing to gain from fighting the IBF welterweight titleholder.

Crawford, known as 'Bud', recently moved up in weight and won the WBA super-welterweight belt with a points victory over Israil Madrimov. This win came after his statement victory against Errol Spence Jr in 2023, which made him the undisputed welterweight champion. Following his move up in weight, Crawford vacated his welterweight titles.

Meanwhile, Jaron 'Boots' Ennis has been calling for a fight with Crawford. Ennis, who was recently elevated from interim to full IBF champion, successfully defended his title against David Avanesyan. He's even expressed willingness to move up to 154 pounds for a shot at Crawford.

Crawford explained his decision in an interview with The Ring:

"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 drew parallels between his current situation and his past desire to fight Manny Pacquiao:

"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."

Instead of facing Ennis, Crawford has set his sights on a potential bout with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. Canelo recently defended his unified super-middleweight belts with a routine points victory over Edgar Berlanga and is looking for an opponent for May 2025.

A fight with Canelo would require Crawford to jump two more weight divisions. Some in the sport speculate that Crawford might retire if he can't land the bout with the Mexican superstar.

At 37 years old, Crawford seems focused on securing the biggest fights possible for his legacy and earnings. While fans might be disappointed to miss out on a Crawford-Ennis showdown, it's clear that 'Bud' is prioritizing a potential mega-fight with Canelo above all else.