Undefeated world super middleweight champion Terrence Crawford has announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 38.
The five-division champion revealed his decision in a video posted to YouTube, saying he would be ceasing to compete months after his victory over Canelo Alvarez in September.
With his victory over Alvarez, Crawford became the first male fighter in the modern era to hold undisputed titles in three weight divisions.
In a post about X, he said he was “leaving as a great man with nothing else left to prove.”
“When I step away from competing, it’s not because the fight is over, it’s because I’ve won a different type of fight,” Crawford said. Crawford began an impeccable professional career with a 42-0 record (31 of those wins were by knockout), starting with a victory over Brian Cummings in 2008.
“Those who leave of their own free will.”
Crawford, who defeated Britain’s Kell Brook, Amir Khan and Ricky Burns, thanked his opponents, family, fans and team members.
Terrence Crawford during his undisputed super middleweight championship bout against Canelo Alvarez
“This is not a farewell. It’s just one battle ending and another beginning,” he added.
“I’m happy to be able to fulfill a dream that started long before Wright, the fans, or a world title,” Crawford, a lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, light middleweight and super middleweight champion, said in the caption of the YouTube video.
“From Omaha to boxing’s biggest stage, every step of this journey has been earned through sacrifice, discipline and belief.
“I gave everything I had to this sport. I competed against the best, moved through weight classes, and made history my way. 42-0, 3x undisputed. World champion in 5 weight classes. There are no shortcuts. There are no excuses.”
“This is not a farewell to boxing, it’s a thank you. Thank you to my family, my team, my city, and the fans who have been with me through every chapter. Thank you to the sport that has shaped me into the person I am today.”
“The gloves may have come off, but the legacy is eternal. History never disappears.”
His announcement came after he was stripped of his WBC super middleweight title earlier this month for failing to pay the required fine.
