Jaron Ennis ordered to defend IBF World welterweight title to Cody Crowley
The IBF has ordered their welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (31-0, 28KO) to defend against his mandatory, Cody Crowley (22-0, 9KO) next.
The fight news will be bitter sweet for Jaron Ennis, although pleased to be active and earn the world title outright, after being promoted from interim to full champion when Terence Crawford was stripped, he will be feeling hard done by not to get the fight he really wanted.
The Philadelphian puncher hoped to get a shot against pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford, who is contracted to rematch with Errol Spence Jr. next. The IBF have historically not recognised rematch clauses and stripped many of their champions for not fighting their mandatories, such as Tyson Fury after his win over Wladimir Klitschko.
The Ennis vs Crowley fight is being eyed for Canelo Alvarez’s undercard on May 4th, which has yet to be announced.
26-year-old ‘Boots’ has long been regarded as one of America’s brightest young stars in the sport, but fans have felt short-changed when he was awarded the status as world champion without actually fighting for a word title.
The unbeaten welterweight with a 90% KO ratio has more than earned his right since going 31 bouts without defeat and winning the IBF Interim belt in January 2023, then defending it successfully in July.
IBF’s highest-rated contender, Canadian Cody Crowley, 30-years-old from Ontario, is also unbeaten but the southpaw hasn’t quite built up the same reputation as his forthcoming foe.
‘The Crippler’ has registered a 40% KO ratio, winning his last six bouts by unanimous decision, which included two defences of his Canadian super-welterweight title.
However, the WBC #1 has reeled off three notable victories in a row, firstly against unbeaten Kudratillo Abdukakhorov in December 2021; followed by world title contender Josesito Lopez in April 2022, who pushed Keith Thurman to a mixed decision verdict in 2019; then came a credible win over world title contender Abel Ramos in his last fight in March 2023 in his Las Vegas debut.
An update on this fight will likely be announced after Canelo’s next opponent has finally been officially revealed.