LAS VEGAS – The ongoing verbal battle between retired five-division champion Terence Crawford and unified 154lbs titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis generated a no-nonsense response Saturday from Ennis’ father/trainer “Bozy” Ennis.
“Terence is retired. Go take care of your family. If he wants to fight, let’s fight,” the elder Ennis told BoxingScene.
The topic escalated this week with Crawford speaking to a number of outlets during the Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn fight week here after posting on “X” that he had interest in fighting Ennis.
The pair engaged in a face-to-face discussion on the September 4 TNT/DAZN stream of former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz’s loss in Newark, New Jersey.
In one response, Nebraska’s Crawford urged Philadelphia’s “Boots” Ennis to hurry up and conclude his pursuit of standing as undisputed 154lbs champion, perhaps indicating that Crawford would be there to meet him afterward.
Already wearing the WBO and WBA belts, former unified welterweight champion Ennis, 36-0 (32 KOs, is headed to an expected December fight versus IBF champion Josh Kelly, and he wants WBC titlist Sebastian Fundora after that.
The 38-year-old Crawford, 42-0 (31 KOs, caused the stir on “X” by wondering aloud if Ennis would fight him if Crawford came back now – one year after he defeated Canelo Alvarez at nearby Allegiant Stadium.
When Ennis said he’d accept that fight, Crawford responded that Ennis’ push to undisputed was a ruse when he should be pursuing the most difficult test against an active fighter, unbeaten WBC interim 154lbs champion Vergil Ortiz Jnr.
Even Crawford realizes there’s a difference between fighting a five-division champion and proven pay-per-view attraction and the Texan Ortiz who has yet to win a bona fide belt.
“I don’t like to play, but ‘Boots’ and I will defend ourselves,” “Bozy” Ennis said. “If you’re gonna come back, come back. But I think that [Crawford posts and statements] is just talk.
“We know if [promoters/broadcasters] are offering [Crawford] money to fight ‘Boots,’ that’s the best money he can get. But he says he’s not coming back.”
Zuffa Boxing head Dana White said publicly this week that he could convince Crawford to return from the retirement he announced in December with one fight, but Crawford said he couldn’t guess who that opponent would be.
Ennis told Crawford to his face on TNT/DAZN he’d be “easy work” if they fought, and the elder Ennis said he’s certain his son believes that.
When Crawford’s fellow analyst and Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley Jnr sided with Crawford if the bout were ever to materialize, “Bozy” Ennis called Bradley of being “on [Crawford’s] bandwagon” as a co-worker.
“Boots” Ennis captured the two 154lbs belts with a June 27 seventh-round knockout of Xander Zayas after Zayas rocked Ennis in the third round.
“Those guys keep bringing up the third round with Xander. Look at all the rest of those rounds,” “Bozy” Ennis said, reminding that his son decked Zayas in the first and fifth rounds before finishing him. “If ‘Boots’ was truly hurt, he wouldn’t have come back like that. He took it like a champ.
“They’re talking about ‘Boots’ getting hit. It’s all they say. Then, get in there with him. Because what if ‘Boots’ hits you?”
Crawford laid out the reasons why he would defeat Ennis in an interview with video journalist Sean Zittel this week – experience, speed, power.
Those who know Crawford best insist his retirement commitment is real for now.
It’s also well known that if someone continues poking at Crawford, he will respond in the most forceful way possible.
“If you’re going to fight, fight. Otherwise, quit talking,” “Bozy” Ennis said of Crawford.
