Dana White is talking about Terence Crawford as if the retirement papers were written in pencil.
“If I went to Crawford with the right fight, Crawford would fight,” the UFC boss told the Nightcap podcast, Boxing News reported this week. He did not name an opponent, a date or a venue. He just left the door open.
Crawford has been leaving it open himself. He asked fans on X whether they wanted him back, and put the question straight to welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis: would he accept a fight if Crawford came out of retirement? “1000%!” Ennis replied.
A White House photo op that lingered
The other piece of the picture was taken in June. Crawford attended UFC Freedom 250, the card the White House hosted on its South Lawn on Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. More than 4,000 people watched Justin Gaethje stop Ilia Topuria in the main event, according to NBC News.
Read also: After Vingegaard, Skjelmose also pulls out
Crawford met the president cageside. He then shared a smiling photo of the two of them and wrote a caption that has been reprinted everywhere since his return became a live topic.
“Who would have knew the president of the United States of America was a big fan of a kid from a small city called Omaha.”
Some fans loved the picture. Others pushed back on the optics.
Retired, and still the biggest name on the market
Crawford announced his retirement in 2025, after outpointing Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium to take the undisputed super middleweight title. He walked away at 42-0 with 31 knockouts, a five-division world champion.
Read also: Rooney: VAR decision that handed Haaland the derby was 'horrendous'
None of that has stopped the pull for one more night. White has publicly floated signing Crawford to Zuffa Boxing, the promotion’s boxing arm. Ennis is a champion at 147 pounds who has said yes on record. Trump, who has spent years wiring UFC pay-per-view spectacle into the American celebrity calendar, hosted Crawford at the White House and, on Crawford’s own telling, played the fan.
Nothing has been signed. Crawford is 38, retired on paper, and no promoter has announced a negotiation for a return bout.
Read also: West Ham to honour 'gentle giant' Miklosko against Fulham after goalkeeper dies at 64
