Terence Crawford found himself back in the spotlight after responding to renewed criticism of a potential fight with Jaron Ennis. This situation ultimately led Turki Alalshikh to call for his return to the ring publicly.
The sequence began when past comments from Ennis resurfaced, in which he suggested he would have stopped Crawford had they met during their time in the division.
Crawford responded directly to the claims on X, rejecting the idea that Ennis posed a serious threat.
“He can’t even tie my shoes!” Crawford wrote in response to a fan.
He followed that up by addressing the broader criticism surrounding the fight never happening.
“That’s crazy how y’all play like y’all like him but wanted me to end his career before it started,” Crawford added.
lol how did yall get Boots outta anything I just said?🤣🤣🤣 that’s crazy how yall play like yall like him but wanted me the end his career before it started because that’s definitely what would of happened.🤣🤣 smh yall something else I tell you.
— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) April 30, 2026
His comments quickly circulated across boxing circles, reigniting debate about whether the fight should have taken place when both fighters were active at welterweight.
Crawford defends résumé amid Ennis criticism
At the time, Crawford had just defeated Errol Spence Jr. to become the undisputed welterweight champion. At the same time, Ennis held the interim IBF title and was positioned as the division’s next challenger.
Instead of facing Ennis, Crawford moved up in weight, leading to the IBF belt being passed on and Ennis later becoming the full champion.
The decision has remained a point of discussion among fans.
Amid the criticism, Crawford pointed to his achievements across multiple weight classes.
“What’s better than being undisputed? Being undisputed two times,” he wrote. “What better than being undisputed two times? Being undisputed three times in three different weights.”
The post responded to those questioning his résumé, reinforcing his accomplishments at the highest level of the sport.
Alalshikh calls for Crawford’s return with Canelo rematch hint
Crawford’s post drew a reaction from Turki Alalshikh, who referenced the possibility of a return.
“We want the rematch with Canelo… maybe it is a chance to be 4,” Alalshikh wrote.
We want the rematch with Canelo 😎 maybe it is a chance to be 4😇🦁🥊 https://t.co/B00zVouZ9W
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) April 30, 2026
The five-weight world champion hung up the gloves late last year following his unanimous decision victory over Canelo Alvarez. More than 70 thousand fans attended the fight.
On December 16, ‘Bud’ announced his retirement from boxing with a perfect record of 42 victories. The announcement had shocked the whole boxing world. Later on, it was reported that he received many lucrative offers to step back, but he has remained firm in his decision to step away from the ring.
Meanwhile, Alvarez has not fought since his loss to Crawford and remains inactive. However, there have been reports that he is looking for his next potential opponents.
As for Ennis, he is gearing up for his fight against Xander Zayas on June 27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where he will try to capture the WBO and WBA super welterweight belts of Zayas.
Crawford remains retired following his last fight, but the recent exchange has renewed attention on both his career decisions and the fights that never happened. With figures like Turki Alalshikh weighing in, the discussion around his legacy continues to evolve.
