The boxing world says goodbye to Terence Crawford, who announced his retirement Tuesday at age 38 with a perfect 42-0 professional record intact. The announcement arrived via social media video, three months after his September triumph over Canelo Álvarez in Las Vegas.
Crawford’s final performance against Álvarez represented boxing excellence at its finest, as he controlled every aspect of the fight to win the undisputed super middleweight championship by unanimous decision. The victory provided the ideal conclusion to a career marked by technical mastery and unwavering determination.
In his retirement message, Crawford emphasized the personal satisfaction of making the decision himself. He spoke candidly about the motivations that sustained him throughout his career—proving skeptics wrong, supporting his family, representing his Nebraska hometown with pride, and achieving the dreams of the boy who started with nothing but ambition.
Crawford began his professional career in 2008 and claimed his first world title in 2014 with a victory over Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight championship. His southpaw stance and exceptional boxing IQ allowed him to dominate five different weight divisions, demonstrating versatility that few fighters in history have possessed.
The career numbers are historic: 42 consecutive victories, 31 knockouts, 18 world titles across five weight classes, never knocked down, and holding three super middleweight championships (WBA, IBF, WBO). Crawford’s perfect record includes the remarkable fact that every victory came by stoppage or unanimous decision, with no judge ever scoring against him in any fight throughout his entire professional career—a testament to his remarkable run.