Boxing champion Terence Crawford has confirmed his retirement from the sport, ending his career with a perfect 42-0 record at age 38. The announcement came Tuesday through a social media video, three months after his commanding victory over Canelo Álvarez in Las Vegas.
September’s unanimous decision triumph over Álvarez gave Crawford the undisputed super middleweight championship and cemented his legacy as one of boxing’s elite competitors. The performance demonstrated Crawford’s mastery of the sweet science, as he controlled every aspect of the fight against one of the sport’s biggest stars.
Crawford’s retirement statement revealed a fighter at peace with his decision, emphasizing that he was stepping away by choice rather than necessity. He described his career as a quest driven by the need to prove himself repeatedly, fighting not just for championships and recognition but for his family, his Nebraska community, and the child he once was who had only dreams and determination.
The southpaw’s professional debut came in 2008, and six years later he captured his first world title by defeating Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight championship. From that foundation, Crawford built a career that saw him dominate five different weight classes, adapting his style and skills to overcome every challenge presented.
Crawford’s retirement statistics are exceptional: 42 victories without loss, 31 knockouts, 18 world titles spanning five weight divisions, never knocked down, and every win coming by stoppage or unanimous decision. He holds the WBA, IBF, and WBO super middleweight championships after being stripped of the WBC belt in a fee dispute. His perfect record includes the extraordinary fact that no judge ever ruled in favor of any opponent in any round of any fight.