Terence Crawford teases Jaron Ennis fight, then accuses him over Vergil Ortiz Jr

Terence Crawford has revived talk of a comeback by publicly asking Jaron “Boots” Ennis if he would fight him next, only to claim moments later that the exchange was intended to test whether Ennis was avoiding Vergil Ortiz Jr.

Ennis accepted the challenge immediately, but Crawford’s follow-up made clear that no return has been announced and that his target was as much Ennis’ current direction at super-welterweight as any potential fight between them.

Crawford, who retired last December after outboxing Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Las Vegas, posted on X: “I wanna see something! Yall wanna see me come back and fight so bad don’t yall? @JaronEnnis would you fight me next if I come outta retirement?” Ennis replied: “1000%!”

That response appeared to open the door to one of the most discussed fights in boxing, but Crawford quickly changed the tone. “what I said I just wanted to see something! We all know what’s happening here,” he wrote, before adding: “I was just trying to see if you was really ducking @VergilOrtiz. Now I see.”

Crawford then pressed Ennis on the explanation he had given for pursuing titles rather than other major fights. “@Timbradleyjr asked you if you had the opportunity to go up and fight @Canelo and you said you belt hunting. Now I don’t have a belt, so what the excuse now? I wanna hear this.”

The accusation lands in the middle of an unresolved super-welterweight picture. Ennis, now holding the WBA and WBO titles at 154lbs, knocked out Xander Zayas in June to become a two-division world champion and is expected to face IBF champion Josh Kelly as part of his push towards undisputed status. Ortiz remains without a confirmed opponent after his proposed fight with Ennis failed to materialise following months of public negotiations and a legal dispute, despite the pair facing off after Ortiz’s knockout win over Erickson Lubin last November.

The latest exchange also follows a tense on-air back-and-forth during the broadcast of Andy Ruiz Jr’s fight with Damian Knyba. Ennis said he would beat Crawford if they fought, while Crawford responded by saying he would “step” on him and also asked, “do you know what I would have done to you?” Crawford argued that Ennis still needed wins over names such as Ortiz or Sebastian Fundora before receiving full credit.

Hearn still wants Crawford-Ennis

Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn, who promotes Ennis, has continued to push the Crawford fight as a major prize, even while backing Ennis’ attempt to collect more belts at super-welterweight. “I’ve wanted this fight for so long,” Hearn told The Ring. “I rate Crawford so highly but I’m just such a huge believer in Jaron Ennis, and I think this will be the fight that will be the biggest fight in boxing.”

Crawford’s side has repeatedly pushed back on suggestions that he is preparing to fight again. The 38-year-old left boxing at 42-0 with 31 knockouts after moving up two divisions to defeat Alvarez and become the first male fighter of the four-belt era to achieve undisputed status in three weight classes. Announcing his retirement, Crawford wrote: “Walking away as a great with nothing else left to prove. I’m stepping away from competition, not because I’m done fighting, but because I’ve won a different kind of battle – the one where you walk away on your own terms.”

His long-time trainer Brian “BoMac” McIntyre also recently dismissed comeback speculation after footage emerged of Crawford in the gym, saying: “Bud is done.” McIntyre said Crawford had only been helping Lester Martinez prepare for a fight.

For now, Crawford’s posts have intensified pressure on Ennis rather than confirmed a comeback. Ennis’ immediate path points towards a unification with Kelly, while any Crawford fight would require the retired champion to move beyond social media and into negotiations.