Crawford Presses Ennis on 'Easy Work' Claim, Ortiz Fight

Terence Crawford challenged Jaron Ennis face to face over his "easy work" comment, pressing him on why he has not fought Vergil Ortiz Jr. or Sebastian Fundora at 154 pounds instead of Josh Kelly.

Ennis would not back down from the label. Asked directly about calling opponents easy work, he stood by the mindset behind it. "Anybody that y'all ask me, if somebody gives y'all a list and y'all ask me who I think is easy work, I'm going to say easy work every single time because I believe in myself," Ennis said. "Can't nobody in this game do what I do. I feel like I'm the best."

Crawford wasn't buying the bravado without evidence. He told Ennis that stepping up against Ortiz or Fundora would carry real weight, but beating Kelly would not. "We would have seen it if you would have fought Vergil," Crawford said, adding that he'd give Ennis "props" for taking on either Ortiz or Fundora.

Why Crawford Keeps Bringing Up Ortiz and Fundora

Crawford's argument centers on a simple point: Ennis cannot claim to be boxing's next dominant star while avoiding the two hardest styles at junior middleweight. Ortiz brings relentless body work and ring control that forces opponents to fight on the inside, while Fundora's height and volume have given smaller men trouble. Crawford acknowledged that Ortiz's aggressive, straight-ahead approach might actually suit Ennis's speed and counterpunching, but he also made clear that recognizing an opening and surviving the pressure to land it are two different things. Ennis has shown a habit of retreating in straight lines and trusting his reflexes, a pattern that becomes riskier against a fighter who closes distance and works the body the way Ortiz does.

Both fighters currently sit outside Ennis's own promotional and network arrangements, which complicates matchmaking regardless of who wants the fight. Ortiz is aligned with Golden Boy and Fundora has fought mostly on PBC cards, while Ennis has his own promotional obligations. That doesn't clear Ennis of criticism, but it explains why the biggest fights at 154 haven't materialized yet.

The Kelly and Avanesyan Math

Crawford tried to diminish Kelly as an opponent by pointing to a shared result against David Avanesyan. Avanesyan stopped Kelly in six rounds in 2021, and Crawford knocked Avanesyan out in the sixth round the following year. Ennis then stopped Avanesyan in five rounds in 2024, one round faster than Crawford, though Crawford argued his was the cleaner knockout. The exchange cuts both ways. If a shared win over Avanesyan is supposed to separate Crawford from Ennis, it doesn't, since both men finished him. Using one common opponent to rank two fighters rarely holds up anyway; styles and timing change outcomes, and Kelly has rebuilt his form since the Avanesyan loss.

Crawford also questioned how much punishment Ennis has taken in wins over the likes of Karen Chukhadzhian, suggesting he'd have finished a hurt opponent faster than Ennis did. Ennis pushed back, insisting he has always pressed forward when he senses an opponent is hurt and would have done the same against Crawford himself.

Betting Angle

None of this changes the market much on its own, since no new fight was agreed to in the exchange. But the conversation is a preview of how oddsmakers and bettors will price Ennis going forward. A move up to a genuine 154-pound test against someone like Ortiz or Fundora would likely see Ennis open as something closer to a pick-em or moderate favorite rather than the heavy price he's commanded against smaller names, given the added strength and pressure those two bring. Until that fight gets made, expect Ennis to keep being installed as a big favorite in any matchup below that top tier, with his odds only tightening once he steps in with one of boxing's true junior middleweight tests.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Terence Crawford say to Jaron Ennis about calling opponents 'easy work'?

Terence Crawford confronted Jaron Ennis face to face, questioning whether the confidence behind his 'easy work' label holds up against the toughest opposition at 154 pounds, specifically Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Sebastian Fundora.

Has Jaron Ennis fought Vergil Ortiz Jr. or Sebastian Fundora?

No, Jaron Ennis has not fought Vergil Ortiz Jr. or Sebastian Fundora. Terence Crawford argued that beating either man would earn Ennis far more credit than his planned matchup with Josh Kelly.

How are Terence Crawford and Jaron Ennis connected through David Avanesyan?

Both fighters have stopped David Avanesyan. Terence Crawford knocked him out in six rounds in 2022, and Jaron Ennis stopped him in five rounds in 2024, a comparison Crawford raised while also using it to question the value of Ennis fighting Josh Kelly, who lost to Avanesyan in 2021.