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Terence Crawford laced up his gloves and called it a career Tuesday.
Boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter and the only male boxer to capture three titles in the same divisions in the sport has decided to retire from the sport at the age of 38. He finished his career with a record of 42-0 with 31 knockouts.
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Terence Crawford walks onto the field prior to the game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium on September 15, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
“Every fighter knows this moment would come,” he said in a video announcing his retirement. “You just never know when.”
Crawford was coming off a unanimous decision victory over Canelo Alvarez in September to win the super middleweight championship.
He turned professional in 2008 and won titles in four different weight classes – lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight and super welterweight. He moved up two weight divisions in the fight against Alvarez.
Earlier this month, Crawford was stripped of his World Boxing Council super middleweight title for allegedly failing to pay sanction fees for his last two fights. Crawford tore up the organization after the title was taken away.
Canelo Alvarez (black/gold trunks) and Terence Crawford (black/red trunks) box during their super middleweight title fight at Allegiant Stadium on September 13, 2025. (Joe Camporeale/Imagn Images)
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Now Crawford has decided to step away completely.
“This sport gave me everything,” Crawford said. “I fought for my family. I fought for the city. I fought for the kid I used to be, the one with nothing but a dream and a pair of gloves, and I did it all my way.
“I’ve made peace with what’s next. It’s time.”
Should Crawford choose to step back into the ring, Jake Paul will be waiting to guide him between the ropes.
Paul, who is set to fight Anthony Joshua on Saturday night, did not believe Crawford was 100% retired from the sport.
Terence Crawford speaks to the media during a press conference following his undisputed super middleweight title fight defeating Canelo Alvarez (at Allegiant Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Harry How/Getty Images for Netflix)
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“He’s going to have to fall in line,” Paul told reporters, via MMA Junkie. “Canelo, Crawford, all these guys can just take a ticket and we’ll see who I want to fight. He’s not retired, bro. You’ve seen that a million times in boxing. He’s not retired, but he’s got everybody talking about him now because of that, so smart play by Terence.”
