Terence Crawford hung up the gloves without suffering a defeat, but there is one former world champion who believes he would have knocked out “Bud” if he had agreed to the fight.

Crawford’s superstar has skyrocketed in his recent fights, becoming the undisputed multi-division champion after a spectacular stoppage victory over welterweight rival Errol Spence Jr to finally gain the recognition his skills deserved.

The victory over Israil Madrimov further confirmed Crawford’s talent, but it was true his historic triumph over Canelo Alvarez this earned the Omaha operator recognition as a true great.

However, before moving up to super welterweight and fighting Madrimov, Crawford was linked to a fight with rising 147-pounder Jaron “Boots” Ennis, who would later become the unified welterweight world champion.

I’m talking to Daily Mail.When asked about their fight, the Philadelphia native shared his belief that he would knock out Crawford if they ever came to blows.

“[It would have ended with] I, victorious. I stop [him and] anyone, for sure.

“It’s not like that [just] what should I say, this is what I know. I am like this. Anyone who knows me and is around me knows that the bigger the opportunity, the higher the stakes and stakes – you know how it is. I start revising and I get nasty.

Although Ennis believes Crawford refused to fight him at the time, “Bud” maintains that Ennis had the opportunity to face him earlier in his career before he fought Shawn Porter in 2020.

The fight combines two promotional paths. Mason works with Top Rank, which recently signed a broadcast contract with DAZN. Cordina has a long-standing relationship with Matchroom Boxing as well as DAZN, which helped facilitate polished pre-fight talks.

Cordina, 34, is rebuilding after losing the IBF belt to Anthony Cacace in May 2024. He has since moved up to lightweight and recorded wins over Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz and Gabriel Flores Jr. while working with trainer Gary Lockett.

Joe Cordina’s WBO ranking at No. 1 has certainly sparked criticism among fans who look at the lightweight landscape. Cordina’s assassins currently sit above; Alan Chaves and William Zepeda are probably the most avoided fighters in the division right now.

When you look at the mechanics of this phenomenon, you get the impression of a classic combination of name recognition and strategic business.

Cordina’s recent victory over Gabriel Flores Jr. December 12, 2025 was the fight for the WBO International lightweight title. In the world of sanctioning bodies, winning one of their regional or international belts is a quick route to the top ranking, regardless of whether the opponent was a world-class threat.

With Top Rank moving to DAZN, it makes sense for all parties involved to have a recognizable name for Abdullah Mason’s homecoming. Cordina has the UK market and a championship resume that looks good on a poster, even if his recent activity at 135 pounds is limited.

Argentinian Chaves is currently ranked No. 2 and Zepeda is No. 3. Both are younger, arguably fresher and much more unsafe in terms of pure punching power at this weight.

Some fans have the impression that Cordina’s ranking and title fight is more of a business move intended to facilitate a specific event. By ranking Cordina at No. 1, the WBO is making the Mason vs. Cordina fights at a mandatory level, which saves Mason from having to fight a high-risk/low-reward monster like Zepeda or Chaves in his first defense.

It gives Mason a chance to look like a superstar in Cleveland against a former world champion, while also giving Cordina a huge payday and a shortcut back to the top. If Cordina is snapped up early by a juvenile phenom like Mason, the WBO could simply move on to the next challenger after realizing penalty fees for the huge July 4 event.

Mason vs. Cordina talks have been ongoing since early April and are now close to finalizing the Independence Day card.

Sam Noakes, whom Mason defeated in the title fight, returned to action on Sunday and stopped Benito Sanchez Garcia within two rounds.

Moses Itauma was originally scheduled to return on July 25 in London, but the announcement of a “warm-up” fight between Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga on the same day in Saudi Arabia forced a change.

Itauma was last eliminated in March when he became the first to defeat American heavyweight Jermaine Franklin. It was the 14th win and 12th knockout of the teenage Briton’s campaign so far as his team continues to raise the bar in preparation for the inevitable world title fight.

The fight with Franklin was postponed from January due to Itauma’s biceps injury during training camp. If everything went according to plan, he could be guaranteed three fights in 2026. That is still a possibility, but he has now been forced to move the promotion from July to August due to a date clash with former unification champion Joshua, who is fighting this summer with the intention of announcing a then long-awaited fight with Tyson Fury at the end of the year.

I keep talking performance by Ariel Helwanipromoter Frank Warren has confirmed that his teenage protégé will now move to August 8, with the performance still taking place at London’s O2 Arena. Itauma will be the main star, talks are ongoing with potential opponents, but nothing has been signed yet.

Itauma is number one in the WBA and WBO rankings, five in the IBF and two in the WBC. He has been called up by regular WBA champion Murat Gassiev, which could be a significant fight if super champion Oleksandr Usyk vacates the belt soon.

The 21-year-old could soon be named as mandatory challenger for the WBO belt, according to president Gustavo Olivieri, currently held by Fabio Wardley. Wardley will defend his title against Daniel Dubois this weekend in Manchester. If he stays, it is unlikely his next defense will be against Itauma as they both have the same coach, Ben Davison. If Dubois wins and becomes a two-time champion, this fight will sell itself.

In addition to the title, Itauma’s team will also be joyful with a top player who will be able to present a different style or level of threat as he continues to develop.