Commentator Antonio Tarver believes Terence Crawford would beat Jaron “Boots” Ennis if they met and proved who was better.
Crawford is expected to retire soon, and could do so if he gets a fight with Canelo Alvarez. Before that, he must face Israil Madrimov, the WBA junior middleweight champion, on August 3.
Crawford could lose to Madrimov, destroying his hopes of fighting Canelo. If Crawford wins, he will likely try to capture the remaining 154 titles to become undisputed.
Tarver believes former three-division world champion Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) fared better in his win over David Avanesyan two years ago than Ennis’ performance against “Boot” on July 13.
For the record, “Boots” (32-0, 29 KOs) stopped Avanesyan a round earlier in the fifth round, compared to Crawford’s sixth-round knockout on December 10, 2022.
Boots looked stronger and much younger than the 34-year-old version of Crawford who fought Avanesyan two years ago.
Ennis was often attacked by Avanesyan, but he always responded. Crawford was also attacked by Avanesyan, but he put more energy into his defense than Boots. It was a different approach.
Ennis was trying to get Avanesyan out of there and wasn’t focused on not getting hit like Crawford. Crawford was pushing strenuous so Avanesyan wouldn’t overwhelm him from the inside. The ref should have warned Crawford about pushing but I didn’t see a single warning.
Unlike Crawford, Ennis was eager to continue fighting in the ring and overwhelmed Avanesyan with body blows and hooks.
“He has a radiant future. He’s firing on all cylinders at the moment,” said Antonio Tarver Fighting with excitementtalking about Jaron “Boots” Ennis after his impressive victory over David Avanesyan.
“I thought he played great, except for a few times where he lost focus, but that’s normal when a guy fights at home,” Tarver said of Boots Ennis, who fought in front of his hometown crowd at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Ennis didn’t lose focus. He tried to knock Avanesyan down and didn’t put any energy into avoiding his punches. He was in a hurry to score points for stopping Avanesyan because he wanted to get the knockout faster than Crawford, and he was forced to throw a few punches to achieve that goal.
“He’s going to have to mentally toughen up and focus a lot more against Crawford,” Tarver said of Boots. “That’s the fight everyone wants to see. He’s different from all the other welterweights. If we’re ever going to fight to see who’s really the best welterweight, he and Crawford have to fight,” Tarver said of wanting Ennis and Crawford to face off to prove who’s the best.
If Ennis and Crawford were to fight, it wouldn’t happen for another two years. Crawford only fights once a year, and his fight this year is against Madrimov. Then Crawford would fight in early 2025. After that, he’d likely be out until the first quarter of 2026. By then, Crawford would be almost 39 years aged and would pose no threat to Boots Ennis.
“It looked like he was surprised by some of the shots. You’re going to get hit, but when you get surprised by a shot, it means your defense was tender. It means he sneaked one in on you. That was the difference,” Tarver said of the shots that Ennis was hit by Avanesyan.
I watched the fight live and Ennis didn’t care if Avanesyan hit him. He just wanted to punch him and was willing to take punches to punch him.
Ennis knows that boxing is all about entertainment, and to do that, you have to be ready for the punches. Crawford was lifeless against Avanesyan because he was moving, pushing, and ducking punches to avoid the punches.
“Crawford got a strenuous time” [by Avanesyan]but he was aware of it. I think the reason he got hit was because Avanesyan threw some great punches. Crawford’s focus never wavered. He never lost focus in the fight,” Tarver said.
Crawford was unaware of the many punches Avanesyan was throwing at him. He was getting hit as he moved around the ring, trying to avoid the punches. He was always trying to get away from Avanesyan’s pressure, but he couldn’t because his wheels weren’t what they used to be.
“When I look at the two of them and compare them, that was the difference. Crawford controlled Avaneysan a lot better than Boots did,” Tarver said.
Boots Ennis was in a seek and destroy motion, constantly coming forward. Crawford was backing up, trying to escape Avanesyan’s pressure. It wasn’t even half the fun, and the exploding gloves made it worse.
“I’m a Crawford guy. I’ll always run with Crawford,” Tarver said when asked if he’d have to choose between Ennis and Crawford if they clashed. “I’ve seen him [Crawford] long ago, and I had made up my mind long ago. He did nothing but solidify everything I thought he could be.”
The guys Crawford beat weren’t good enough to make a statement. They were all pretty. Crawford beat eight times at 147, and the two best guys were 34, Errol Spence and Shawn Porter. They weren’t the same fighters they were in the past.
“Until someone beats Crawford, I’m sticking with him. I don’t mind losing when I take my guy. Until he loses, I’m sticking with him. I’d rather be wrong than turn my back on a fighter I fell in love with a long time ago,” Tarver said, predicting Crawford would beat Boots Ennis.
If Crawford fought Boots Ennis, they could show the fans who is the best, but since Terence won’t do it, you have to give it to the younger guy by default. If the older guy doesn’t want to fight the teenage lion, you can guess why. He doesn’t have the confidence and they’re not good enough.
WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
Deontay Wilder has not retired from boxing at the age of 39, and the former WBC heavyweight champion has not issued any official statement.
World Boxing News can confirm that reports circulating on social media are false and originated from a imitation account on Up-to-date Year’s Day. As of January 2, 2025, WBN has had no word from Wilder that he plans to hang up his gloves.
As usual, WBN also asked Shelly Finkel for comment. However, Finkel has repeatedly said in the past that Wilder is not retiring. This case seems to be no different.
The last time Wilder spoke publicly was while promoting a mental health app, the Brown Bomber was unveiling plans to return to the sport.
He said: “The push-up protocol has been disabled. Strengthen your body and train your mind; no paid subscription required! It’s not about money. It’s about a mission to strengthen mindsets and improve mental health for all. To everyone: operate your services and achieve greatness.
“There will be people who tell you, ‘No, you can’t.’ [No] People trying to stop you or putting up stop signs. [No] People who want to bring you down and keep you down. But you can’t give up.
“No matter how many times you fall, no matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s a resilient mind, a confident mind, a powerful mind that gets back up and keeps moving forward to achieve your greatness.
“Apply your service. Achieve your greatness,” he added.
Deontay Wilder could announce his retirement tomorrow if he changed his mind, but at the time of the report, there was no truth to it.
When Zhilei Zhang knocked him out on June 1 in Saudi Arabia, the formidable top-flight contender needed time to assess his situation. WBN understands that Wilder has received offers, including contact from Francis Ngannou, regarding a possible boxing match with the MMA star.
The Wilder vs. Ngannou fight only makes sense for an American his age. Many voluntary positions [of which Wilder is WBC number 13] are occupied by threatening opponents who would start each clash as favorites.
Meanwhile, the Ngannou fight is winnable with less risk and more rewards, meaning Wilder can still earn a significant payday before hanging up his gloves for good.
Rising Irish boxing star Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-0, 11 KO), the current World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight continental champion, had to withdraw from his scheduled December “stay busy” fight due to a minor injury but now is preparing to fight his biggest rival in what may be the most anticipated Irish boxing match in history.
The All-Ireland fight between Donovan, who fights in Limerick and trains in Dublin, and Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (20-0, 11 KO) of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is scheduled for March 1. “Point of Pride” will headline the Matchroom Boxing card, which will be broadcast live on DAZN from the SES Arena as part of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world title eliminator. Just two fights away, Donovan could win a world title if he defeats Crocker as the IBF mandatory challenger.
“There is something different about a good Irish fighter and I believe I will be next,” Donovan declared. “I think turning pro at 19 and now 25 has required a lot of life changes since I turned pro. What matters most is what I learned in the gym, because it was the ups and downs in life – being a husband and father, losing loved ones – that helped me improve. I improved as a person, which helped me become a better fighter.”
A true fighter from the past, Donovan is currently rated by three of the four major sanctioning bodies: WBA No. 5, IBF No. 6 and World Boxing Council No. 14. He has dreamed of being a world champion since he was seven years senior.
“I’m in an amazing position, so I thank God for that and my team, Andy Lee (head coach/co-manager) and (Up-to-date York lawyer) Keith Sullivan (co-manager),” Donovan noted. “It’s great to be ranked so highly at this stage of my career, but I’m where I need to be. To be ranked so high on three major sanctioning bodies is great. I know I won’t stop until I become world champion.
“I’m always at the gym thinking about the next challenge. I say it’s time. I love what I do. I am very grateful to God for being in this situation. I believe in God’s plan for me to become world champion.”
“It’s definitely going to be an explosive fight,” commented Up-to-date York attorney Keith Sullivan, who co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee, who is also Paddy’s head trainer. “Two tough, resilient Irishmen who have a lot to prove to the world. We were worried about the injury, but we are sure it will not be a problem during the March 1 battle. Paddy is locked down and training difficult under the watchful eye of coach Andy Lee.
Donovan has dedicated several of his recent fights to Pieta, using his boxing platform to promote the suicide prevention charity, which provides mental health services across Ireland. Paddy lost two relatives to suicide. The Pietra Crisis Helpline, at 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or self-harm, as well as support for those grieving as a result of suicide.
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