Terence “Bud” Crawford, one of the most complete fighters of his generation, has officially announced his retirement, bringing down the curtain on a flawless and historic boxing career. Crawford bows out with a perfect 42-0 record, including 31 knockouts, leaving the sport without ever having been officially knocked down or outscored on a single judge’s card.
Crawford retires as the reigning WBA, IBF and WBO super middleweight champion, following a masterful unanimous decision victory over Alvarez that crowned his final act in September. He had also held the WBC super middleweight title, but was stripped of the belt earlier this month after a dispute over sanctioning fees — a controversy that did little to diminish his standing in the sport.
Confirming his decision in a video posted to his official YouTube channel and a message on X, Crawford spoke with the same quiet conviction that defined his career.
“Every fighter knows this moment will come, we just never know when,” Crawford said.
“I spent my whole life chasing something. Not belts, not money, not headlines. But that feeling, the one you get when the world doubts you but you keep showing up and you keep proving everyone wrong.”
That desire to prove doubters wrong became the through-line of a career that spanned three decades. Crawford made his professional debut in 2008 and quickly emerged as one of boxing’s brightest talents. His first world title came in 2014, when he defeated Scotland’s Ricky Burns to claim the WBO lightweight crown.
From there, Crawford’s rise was relentless. Across five weight classes, he accumulated an astonishing 18 world titles, adapting seamlessly as opponents grew bigger and challenges tougher. A gifted switch-hitter with elite ring intelligence, Crawford routinely dismantled world-class fighters with patience, precision, and ruthless efficiency.
“I fought for my family. I fought for my city. I fought for the kid I used to be, the one who had nothing but a dream and a pair of gloves,” he said.
“And I did it all my way. I gave this sport every breath I had.”
The numbers underline his dominance. All 42 of Crawford’s victories came either by unanimous decision or stoppage, with no judge ever scoring a bout in favour of his opponent — a statistic almost unheard of at the elite level.
While belts were won and lost, Crawford’s body of work leaves no room for doubt. His career will be remembered not for controversy, but for control — a fighter who solved every problem put in front of him and walked away before the sport could take anything back.
Unbeaten. Undisputed. Unbroken.
Terence Crawford leaves boxing as he lived in it — proving everyone wrong, one final time.
Photo Credit: X
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