The boxing world says goodbye to versatile champion Terence Crawford, who announced his retirement Tuesday at age 38 with a spotless 42-0 professional record. The revelation came via an emotional social media video, three months after his September victory over Canelo Álvarez in Las Vegas.
Crawford’s final performance against Álvarez showcased his versatile fighting style, as he controlled every aspect of the bout to win the undisputed super middleweight championship by unanimous decision. The victory demonstrated the versatile approach that made his career so successful and provided the perfect finale.
Crawford’s retirement statement revealed a fighter at peace with his accomplishments. He spoke about leaving by choice as a personal victory, and reflected on how his versatile skills allowed him to prove skeptics wrong while honoring his family, his Nebraska roots, and his childhood dreams.
After making his professional debut in 2008, Crawford established himself as a versatile talent. His first world championship came in 2014 with a victory over Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight title, launching a historic run that saw him conquer five different weight divisions through versatile technique.
Crawford’s career concludes with historic statistics: 42 consecutive victories, 31 knockouts, 18 world titles spanning five weight classes, never being knocked down, and currently holding three super middleweight championships (WBA, IBF, WBO). His perfect record includes the distinction that every single victory came via stoppage or unanimous decision, with not one judge ever scoring in favor of any opponent he faced throughout his entire professional career.