IBF strips Crawford of welterweight belt, elevates interim champ Ennis

Terence Crawford is no longer undisputed.

The IBF stripped Crawford of his welterweight belt on Thursday, while elevating Jaron "Boots" Ennis to 147-pound world champion. Ennis had been the IBF's interim welterweight titleholder prior to Thursday.

The IBF's decision came after Crawford failed to negotiate a fight with Ennis, his mandatory challenger, due to his rematch clause with Errol Spence Jr. An IBF spokesperson told BoxingScene's Jake Donovan that Crawford informed them in September - days before his mandatory negotiation period with Ennis was to conclude - that Spence had exercised his rematch clause.

"Based on the forgoing (of the mandatory challenger), the IBF has withdrawn recognition of Terence Crawford as the IBF welterweight world champion," the IBF stated, per Donovan.

The 36-year-old (40-0, 31 knockouts) became the first male boxer to become an undisputed champion in two divisions when he scored a ninth-round TKO win over Spence on July 29. It marked Spence's first professional loss, and the first time he'd ever been knocked down. The win also marked Crawford's seventh consecutive successful defense of his WBO welterweight title.

After the bout, "Bud" said he was open to a rematch if his opponent wanted one. Spence expressed a desire for their next fight to be at 154 pounds. The sides appear to be aiming for a rematch in February, sources told ESPN's Mike Coppinger, although no date has been set.

Ennis, 26, first won the IBF interim welterweight title with a unanimous victory over Karen Chukhadzhian this past January. The Philadelphia native's most recent fight was a 10th-round KO win over Roiman Villa in July, a victory that ran his record to 31-0 with 28 knockouts and one bout scored a no contest.