Terence Crawford: Legacy, Unbeaten Run and Retirement Plans

Terence Allan “Bud” Crawford is an American former professional boxer from Omaha, Nebraska, widely regarded as one of the best fighters of his generation. He turned professional in March 2008 after a successful amateur career and fought as a southpaw across multiple weight classes during a career that ran through 2025[1][3]. Crawford won world titles at lightweight, light welterweight (junior welterweight), welterweight and later moved up to super middleweight, claiming major belts in five weight divisions over his career[1][3]. He became the undisputed light welterweight champion in 2017, unifying the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO titles — the first undisputed champion at that weight in the four-belt era — and later achieved undisputed status again at higher weights, marking him as the first male boxer in the four-belt era to be undisputed in more than one division[1][2][3]. Known for exceptional ring IQ, switch-hitting ability and counterpunching, Crawford compiled an undefeated professional record and a high knockout ratio, with career statistics widely reported as 42–0 with 31 KOs at retirement[4][8][9]. His notable victories include wins over Ricky Burns (for his first world title), Julius Indongo (to become undisputed at 140 lb), and high-profile defeats of top welterweights that cemented his pound-for-pound standing[1][3]. Crawford received major boxing honors during his career, including Fighter of the Year recognitions from media outlets and boxing writers, and he has been consistently ranked among the sport’s elite by sanctioning bodies and commentators[5][3]. In December 2025 he announced his retirement from boxing, concluding a decorated, undefeated career and leaving a legacy as one of the sport’s most accomplished multi-division champions[4].

Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, born July 18, 1990, in San Agustín, Jalisco, Mexico, is a Mexican professional boxer renowned as one of the sport's pound-for-pound greats. Standing 5-foot-7½ inches with a 70½-inch reach and fighting orthodox, he turned pro at age 15 after starting boxing around 13, inspired by his brother Rigoberto, and quickly amassed an early record of 31-0-1 by 2010, including knockouts against older opponents.[1][2][3][4][5][8] Álvarez has won world titles in four weight classes—super middleweight, junior middleweight, middleweight, and light heavyweight—becoming a four-division champion with victories like his 2010 WBC light middleweight title over Matthew Hatton, 2015 middleweight crown against Miguel Cotto, 2018 WBA super middleweight strap via TKO of Rocky Fielding, and 2019 WBO light heavyweight knockout of Sergey Kovalev.[1][3][4][5][6][7] Key rivalries defined his rise: he drew with Gennady Golovkin in 2017, lost a majority decision in their 2018 rematch before winning the trilogy in 2022, and in 2021 became the first undisputed super middleweight champion by stopping Caleb Plant.[1][4][6] With a record of 63-3-2 (39 KOs) as of late 2025, Álvarez unified super middleweight titles (WBA, WBC, WBO, Ring) multiple times, defending against John Ryder and Jermell Charlo in 2023.[3][4][7] In May 2025, he defeated William Scull by unanimous decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, regaining undisputed status.[4] Later that year, he lost the titles to Terence Crawford via unanimous decision, alongside a prior 2022 light heavyweight loss to Dmitry Bivol.[4] Currently 35, the Guadalajara native remains a unified super middleweight champion and boxing's top draw, trained by Eddy Reynoso, with his next fight TBD.[1][3][7]