Terence Crawford shuts down Jaron Ennis fight talk

Terence Crawford will not return from retirement to face Jaron Ennis, despite fresh speculation following Ennis's stoppage win over Xander Zayas on Saturday night in Brooklyn.

Crawford told The Porter Way Podcast that he has nothing left to prove, per a Sherdog report. While he praised Ennis as a dangerous fighter with speed, power, and reflexes, Crawford said ring smarts would decide the bout. "The only thing that I can say is, I'm 10 steps ahead of him in smarts," Crawford said. "And I think that's where he would get in trouble."

Why Crawford sees no reason to return

The 42-0 former champion retired in December after collecting 18 world titles across five weight classes. Ennis moved to 36-0 by dropping Zayas three times before the referee waved off the junior middleweight title fight in round seven. Fans immediately began calling for a Crawford comeback, but the retired pound-for-pound great dismissed the idea outright.

Crawford described Ennis as a threat to anyone at 154 pounds, crediting his full toolkit. "He is no walk in the park for no one," Crawford said. Still, the Nebraska native believes his edge in fight IQ would tilt the matchup decisively in his favor if it ever happened.

Ennis now holds the WBO and WBA straps at junior middleweight and has yet to taste defeat as a pro. Crawford remains at home in Omaha with no scheduled return to training camp.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Terence Crawford won’t end retirement to fight Jaron Ennis