Boxing loses one of its brightest stars as Terence Crawford confirms his retirement with a flawless 42-0 record at age 38. The announcement came Tuesday via an emotional social media video, three months removed from his September triumph over Canelo Álvarez.
Crawford’s final performance against Álvarez represented boxing at its finest, with the Nebraska native systematically outclassing the Mexican legend to win the undisputed super middleweight championship by unanimous decision. The victory affirmed Crawford’s status as one of the sport’s premier fighters and provided a memorable conclusion to his time in the ring.
The retirement announcement revealed Crawford’s reflective mindset, as he discussed leaving the sport on his own terms rather than having age or decline make the decision for him. He spoke movingly about the internal motivations that sustained him—fighting to prove skeptics wrong, supporting his family, representing his city, and fulfilling the dreams of the boy he once was.
After debuting professionally in 2008, Crawford established himself as an elite talent, capturing his first world championship in 2014 with a victory over Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight title. His technical brilliance and southpaw stance proved problematic for opponents across five weight divisions, as he accumulated championships and built an unprecedented winning streak.
Crawford’s career concludes with historic numbers: 42 wins without defeat, 31 by knockout, 18 world titles in five different weight classes, never knocked down, and currently holding three super middleweight belts (WBA, IBF, WBO). His perfect record includes the distinction that every victory came by stoppage or unanimous decision, with no judge ever scoring in favor of an opponent throughout his entire career—an unparalleled level of dominance.