Gee Bino | The Who Dat Daily

Boots Ennis and Bud Crawford Keep Trading Words—but Josh Kelly Is the Fight That Comes Next

Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Terence “Bud” Crawford continue to circle each other verbally, but the boxing public should separate an entertaining argument from an active negotiation.

Crawford is retired. Ennis is building a title run at junior middleweight. Their names will remain linked because fans see Boots as the most gifted American fighter of the next era and Crawford as the standard he has to chase. Yet the most realistic next opponent for Ennis is not Crawford, Vergil Ortiz Jr. or Sebastian Fundora.

It is IBF champion Josh Kelly.

Why the Crawford-Ennis argument keeps growing

Ennis looked sensational on June 27, stopping previously unbeaten Xander Zayas in the seventh round at Barclays Center. He dropped Zayas three times and unified the WBA and WBO titles at 154 pounds, improving to 36-0 with 32 knockouts. Sky Sports documented the dominant performance.

That victory restarted the inevitable comparison with Crawford.

Crawford praised Ennis’ speed, power and reflexes, but argued that his own ring intelligence would put him far ahead in a hypothetical matchup. Ennis responded dismissively, making it clear that he was not interested in chasing a retired fighter.

Both men are protecting something.

Crawford is defending his legacy. He retired after defeating Canelo Alvarez and becoming an undisputed champion in a third division. He does not want a younger star’s highlight reel to erase how completely he solved elite opponents.

Ennis is defending his era. He spent years being asked why the biggest welterweights would not face him. Now that he has moved to 154 and collected two belts, he does not want his accomplishments framed as auditions for a man who says he is finished fighting.

That tension creates great debate. It does not create a signed bout.

A Crawford fight is not realistic right now

There are three basic obstacles.

First, Crawford has repeatedly said he is happily retired and does not need to return to prove anything. The Ring reported those comments after Ennis defeated Zayas.

Second, the weight gap is substantial. Ennis is collecting championships at 154 pounds, while Crawford’s last major triumph came against Canelo at super middleweight. Any negotiation would begin with a difficult argument over who gives up size or competitive comfort.

Third, Ennis has unfinished business in his current division. He owns the WBA and WBO belts, and the cleanest way to strengthen his own legacy is to pursue undisputed status rather than wait for a retired star.

The Crawford talk should be treated as a pound-for-pound barbershop argument unless Crawford announces a comeback and both camps begin discussing terms.

Josh Kelly is in pole position

Kelly retained the IBF junior middleweight title on July 25 with a unanimous decision over Caoimhin Agyarko. The fight was close and physically demanding, but the victory kept Kelly in position for a unification bout with Ennis. The Ring explicitly identified Boots as the next major opportunity.

Before that defense, promoter Eddie Hearn said there was a strong chance Kelly would face Ennis in the United States in November if he retained the belt. Kelly completed his part. The matchup still requires a finalized agreement, venue and date, so it should be described as targeted—not official.

From Ennis’ perspective, Kelly makes sense for four reasons:

1. A third belt is available. Beating Kelly would add the IBF title to Ennis’ WBA and WBO championships.
2. The promotional pathway is workable. Both sides have publicly expressed interest, and Hearn has already outlined the bout.
3. Kelly presents a different style. His movement, timing and long-range boxing would force Ennis to cut off the ring rather than simply overwhelm a stationary target.
4. The fight advances the undisputed mission. It is a direct sporting objective, not a social-media detour.

Kelly is 18-1-1 with nine knockouts. He is not the biggest commercial name available, but he holds the belt Ennis needs.

What about Vergil Ortiz Jr.?

Ortiz is probably the most explosive and commercially appealing fight for Ennis at 154. Their power, aggression and undefeated reputations would create genuine danger on both sides.

It is also the matchup most vulnerable to boxing’s business problems.

Financial expectations, promotional relationships and Ortiz’s legal situation have complicated the path. Hearn has continued to mention Ortiz as an option, but the framework discussed before Ennis’ title win is no longer necessarily the framework either side will accept now.

Ortiz should remain a priority. He is simply less likely to be next than Kelly.

Sebastian Fundora may have to wait

Fundora owns the WBC belt, which makes him essential to any undisputed plan. However, his mandatory obligations create a scheduling problem. His team has indicated that the required WBC defense must be handled before a Boots unification, pushing the most realistic Fundora timetable into 2027.

That sequence actually supports Kelly as the next move:

• Ennis fights Kelly for the IBF belt late in 2026.
• Fundora handles his mandatory obligation.
• The winners pursue all four belts in 2027.

Boxing rarely follows the cleanest possible bracket, but this is the clearest sporting route.

Who benefits from the Crawford bickering?

Both fighters do.

Crawford remains part of the daily boxing conversation without leaving retirement. Every Ennis performance reinforces the idea that Bud is the measuring stick for the next generation.

Ennis receives attention beyond the 154-pound rankings. Arguing with Crawford elevates Boots from “dangerous champion” to “possible heir to the pound-for-pound throne.”

The danger is that the debate can overshadow active opponents. Kelly has a real title. Ortiz is a real threat. Fundora holds the final belt Ennis needs. Crawford, at the moment, is a hypothetical.

Big Q’s bottom line

The verbal shots between Boots and Bud are entertaining, but they are not leading to a fight unless Crawford changes his retirement stance.

Josh Kelly is the leading candidate to face Ennis next, most likely in a late-2026 unification bout in the United States. The fight is not official until contracts are signed and announced, but Kelly retained the IBF belt and completed the prerequisite Hearn publicly established.

For Ennis, that is the correct move. Beat Kelly, collect a third belt and force the 154-pound division to revolve around him. Then pursue Fundora for undisputed status or Ortiz for the biggest action fight available.

Boots does not need to win an argument with a retired Crawford. He needs to keep winning championships until the comparison becomes impossible to ignore.

Ring Kings Weekend Wrap: Shields Reclaims Crown

Devin Haney vs. Jack Catterall in Advanced Talks for October 3 Clash

Sources

• Sky Sports: Ennis stops Xander Zayas to unify at 154
• The Ring: Crawford responds to the Ennis comparisons
• The Ring: Kelly retains the IBF title and remains in position for Ennis
• Boxing News 24: Hearn targets Ennis–Kelly for late 2026