Cody Crowley nearly got a crack at IBF welterweight champion Jaron Ennis' crown last year but was forced to pull out of the announced summer showdown after suffering another eye injury that resulted in surgery six weeks before their scheduled contest.

Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs) is ready to return to the ring, but for now, he’s stuck in limbo waiting to see how the division picture plays out as Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) takes on WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) in a title unification fight Saturday in Atlantic City. The Ring title will also be on the line for the division’s top two rated stars.

“I'm super excited for this fight,” Crowley told The Ring in an interview. “There is a lot on the line on both sides. The fight is going to come down to who can catch their rhythm first and determine it. It’s going to be fireworks. It's going to be exciting, and I’d love to fight both.

“I see a guy in Stanionis who has so much heart, determination, pressure, and comes forward with heavy hands and a solid chin. Coming into this fight, he's going to do the exact same thing. He has to take Boots to deep waters. Boots relies on his reflexes and brain. In order to do that, you need time to think.

"You give a fighter like Boots time to think and they will move you around the ring like a matador does to a bull. Stanionis needs to be on him, and on his chest, from the opening bell to the final bell. You can't give Boots room to breathe, recover, and think of answers. That was my gameplan going in there, to literally suffocate Boots. It's going to come down to how much will Stanionis has come fight night.

“But he's going to have to deal with Boots' speed and timing. Jaron does a lot of things well. Stanionis can't get the win if he can't stay in there for twelve rounds and keep going. Jaron will fight at his own pace, like a game of chess. Stanionis could be walking into every trap Boots sets up with the brilliant mind that he has. I think Boots is going to trap him, get counter punches, and let Stanionis dig his own grave.”

Crowley, a 32-year-old contender from Peterborough, Canada, hasn't fought since March 2023 when he scored a decision win against Abel Ramos, an emotional victory that came months after his father Jim Crowley committed suicide.

The former IBF mandatory challenger Crowley is still hopeful to fight Ennis.

“I still feel that I'm one of those top guys, and I just didn't get to showcase that under the bright lights. It's only a matter of time," said Crowley. “I was at the top of the rankings, and the surgeries took them away from me. After basically going blind twice, my eyes are doing good now and I’m doing great. Mentally it was hard and scary, but it’s made me stronger. I'm in shape and waiting for my opportunity.”