The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has issued a directive for Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to defend his title against his mandatory challenger, Cody Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs). This matchup is not what Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) had hoped for, as he had his sights set on a fight with Terence Crawford. The Ennis vs. Crowley bout is being considered for Canelo Alvarez’s undercard on May 4th, according to Chris Mannix.
As reported by BoxingScene, the IBF has set a deadline for negotiations to begin on January 31st, with the fight scheduled to take place by March 28th. Although the timeframe is tight, Ennis is known for his constant training and will be ready.
Crowley’s opportunity
Canadian boxer Crowley is currently ranked #3 and has not fought since March of last year. Despite notable victories over Abel Ramos, Josesito López, and Kudratillo Abdukakhorov, facing Ennis will be a significant challenge for Crowley compared to his previous opponents throughout his ten-year professional career.
The IBF has already ordered a title eliminator between Karen Chukhadzhian and Harry Scarff. If this fight takes place, the winner will be next in line to face Ennis after the Crowley bout.
Crowley lacks knockout power and will face a tough task against Ennis, especially after a long period of inactivity. While it may not be an ideal situation for Crowley, he cannot afford to decline this title shot. His rankings with other sanctioning bodies are not high, making this opportunity perhaps the best he will get.
Consequences of non-compliance
If Boots Ennis disregards the IBF’s order to face Crowley, he risks being stripped of his title and reverting to his previous contender status. This would be a significant setback, considering that the top welterweight contenders seem to be avoiding him.
Ennis has no intention of evading the fight against Crowley, as he is expected to be a heavy favorite. This matchup will likely be another easy victory for Ennis, but it may not generate much interest among boxing fans in the United States, thus limiting his popularity growth.
Ennis and his father had anticipated that winning a world title would open doors for more fights, but that has not been the case. None of the top fighters are willing to face Boots, and losing his IBF title would only exacerbate the situation.
According to the Source boxingnews24.com