Benavidez dares Crawford to face boots and Vergil at 154

David Benavidez says he would like to see Terence Crawford return to 154 for big fights against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr.

These would be risky fights for the 38-year-old Crawford, and ones that wouldn’t pay the kind of money he earned in his ‘Fight of the Century’ against Canelo Alvarez on September 13, 2025.

Chase Canelo Money Again

Crawford holds the undisputed super middleweight championship he won from Canelo Alvarez by a 12-round unanimous decision. It is said that those two are in negotiations for a rematch in 2026. The payday Crawford will get again against Canelo will be enormous, and far more than he would receive against Ennis or Vergil Jr.

“I would love to see him go down to 154 and fight ‘Boots’. That’s a big fight, and fight Vergil Ortiz. Maybe even (Jermell) Charlo. That one who was champion at 154,” said David Benavidez Ring Magazine about he wants to see Terence Crawford return to junior middleweight for big fights.

Terence has already ruled out a return to junior middleweight after vacating his WBA title on September 18, 2025. If he continues to fight after his potential rematch with Alvarez, it is believed he will drop to 160 to go for his sixth divisional world title.

The middleweight champions are vulnerable, and Crawford would probably stand a better chance of beating either of them than he would ‘Boots’ Ennis or Ortiz Jr.

Mount Rushmore Dreams vs. His CV

One major issue preventing Crawford from returning to 154 is that he wants to be among the four greatest of all time on the Mount Rushmore of boxing. If he fights one of them, he puts his chances of becoming an all-time great in jeopardy. He would have to risk his skin to return to 154.

Terence has already turned his nose up at the possibility of fighting David Benavidez, which would have strengthened his case to replace one of these four greats on Rushmore:

1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Muhammad Ali
3. Henry Armstrong
4. Joe Louis

What Crawford should do next

For Crawford to be among those four, he would have to agree to fights against Ennis, Vergil Jr., and Benavidez, because his resume is too short of quality names for him to have a place on the Mount Rushmore of boxing. His refusal to fight Benavidez was unbecoming of an everyday great. Those talents would never have turned down a fight against a big name they could lose to.