Five-division world champion Terence “Bud” Crawford has officially announced his retirement from professional boxing, effective Tuesday, December 16, 2025, bringing an extraordinary era to a close. The announcement comes just three months after Crawford made history by becoming the only fighter in the four-belt era to claim undisputed championships in three different weight classes, a feat sealed with his September victory over Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight crown — a moment widely regarded as his defining legacy.

Crawford confirmed his decision via social media and his YouTube channel, explaining that the timing felt right. “I’m stepping away from competition, not because I’m done fighting but because I’ve won a different kind of battle — the one where you walk away on your own terms,” he said. The Omaha native added that he had poured “every breath” into the sport and was now at peace with the next chapter. He retires with an unblemished 42-0 professional record, including 31 knockouts, and as ESPN’s top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, cementing his place among boxing’s elite.

Crawford’s career is defined by unprecedented achievement. He became undisputed welterweight champion in July 2023 after dismantling Errol Spence Jr., adding to earlier undisputed success at junior welterweight following his stoppage of Julius Indongo in 2017. Across his career, Crawford captured 18 major world titles spanning five weight divisions — lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight and super middleweight — while topping ESPN’s Top 100 fighters list in 2025, a testament to his enduring dominance.

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford turned professional in 2008 after narrowly missing out on a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. His early career unfolded largely outside the spotlight until a breakthrough performance in 2013, when he accepted a fight against Breidis Prescott on three days’ notice and outclassed him on HBO. That victory set the stage for his first world title in 2014, when he defeated Ricky Burns to claim the WBO lightweight belt, marking the arrival of a technically gifted and mentally ruthless contender.

Despite his success, Crawford initially struggled to secure the biggest fights, prompting a pivotal split from Top Rank after his 2021 stoppage of Shawn Porter. The move proved decisive. He went on to dominate Spence Jr. in one of boxing’s most anticipated showdowns before daring to challenge Canelo Alvarez — three weight classes above him — in 2025. Against expectations, Crawford delivered a masterclass performance, outboxing Alvarez over 12 rounds to secure a unanimous decision and rewrite boxing history, showcasing his unmatched brilliance.

Speculation briefly followed regarding potential future bouts, including a fourth undisputed run at middleweight or a crossover spectacle against Jake Paul. Instead, Crawford chose to exit the sport at its peak. With his accomplishments chronicled by platforms such as ESPN Boxing, BoxRec, and The Ring Magazine, Crawford leaves boxing not just undefeated, but fulfilled — walking away, as he put it, “with nothing left to prove.”