Dana White: Terence Crawford needs ‘the right fight’ to end retirement

LAS VEGAS – Terence Crawford has consistently denied the possibility of a return to the ring, but Dana White appears confident that if anyone could convince the boxing great to come back, he could.

Crawford (42-0) hung up his gloves after defeating Canelo Alvarez last year. The 38-year-old retired after the biggest win of his career as an undisputed champion, prompting repeated questions about whether “Bud” would return to action.

White is moving full steam ahead with Zuffa Boxing, which means he’s seeking out the biggest possible matchups available in boxing. The UFC CEO is confident he knows what it would take for Crawford to come out of retirement.

“There is always a number,” White said during a post-fight news conference after Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn. “I think for a guy like Crawford, and a couple of my guys here are very close to him – I think for a guy like Crawford, it’s more than just a number, it’s the right fight.

“It’s a fight that interests him and challenges him and makes him want to get back into camp and leave his family. I talked to him yesterday too, and he’s having a blast with his kids and doing what we all wish we could do.”

One fight that could be the magic matchup to pique Crawford’s interest could be Jaron Ennis, 29, who recently won the WBO and WBA junior middleweight titles by stopping Xander Zayas in June. “Boots” is undefeated at 36-0 and is seeking undisputed status, as Crawford did.

White was asked about that potential matchup and seemed to subtly agree it was the fight to make for Crawford, but only time will tell if he can make it happen.

“Well, let’s just put it this way: Crawford is a guy that we would definitely like to pull kicking and screaming out of retirement and fight again,” White said. “We’ll see what we can do.”

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dana White: Terence Crawford needs ‘the right fight’ to end retirement