Boxing bids farewell to one of its most invincible champions as Terence Crawford announces retirement at age 38 with a pristine 42-0 professional record. The announcement arrived Tuesday via an emotional social media video, three months after his September triumph over Canelo Álvarez.
Crawford’s final performance in Las Vegas against Álvarez showcased his invincible qualities, as he systematically dominated the Mexican legend to capture the undisputed super middleweight championship by unanimous decision. The victory provided the perfect finale to a career marked by consistent excellence and technical mastery.
In announcing his retirement, Crawford stressed the importance of making the decision himself rather than having circumstances dictate his future. He spoke movingly about the motivations that fueled his career—proving skeptics wrong, supporting his family financially and emotionally, representing Nebraska with honor, and achieving his childhood dreams.
Crawford began his professional career in 2008 and claimed his first world title in 2014 with a victory over Ricky Burns for the WBO lightweight championship. His southpaw stance and exceptional ring intelligence allowed him to dominate five different weight divisions, adapting his style to overcome every challenge and build an unmatched winning streak.
The final statistics are historic: 42 consecutive victories, 31 knockouts, 18 world titles spanning five weight classes, never knocked down, and holding three super middleweight belts (WBA, IBF, WBO). Crawford’s perfect record includes the distinction that every victory came by stoppage or unanimous decision, with no judge ever scoring against him in any round of any fight throughout his entire professional career—truly invincible.