A Perfect Ending in the Ring
Terence “Bud” Crawford has made it clear: this time, the retirement is real. In December 2025, the 38-year-old boxing icon stepped away from the sport immediately after the biggest victory and payday of his career. Crawford dismantled Canelo Alvarez to become undisputed super middleweight champion, collecting the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring titles in one historic night.
Unlike many fighters who tease comebacks, Crawford says there will be no encore. The win over Canelo was the final chapter, not a setup for one more lucrative bout.
“Not Everything Is for Sale”
Appearing on The Pivot Podcast, Crawford was asked whether a massive offer — $80 million, even $100 million — could tempt him back into the ring. His answer was immediate and firm.
“No,” Crawford said, explaining that chasing another payday would mean compromising his principles. When host Channing Crowder joked that he would happily take the money, Crawford didn’t hold back, questioning what someone truly stands for if everything has a price.
For Crawford, money was never the point. He acknowledged that boxing provided financial security, but said his motivation was always about legacy and achievement. Becoming a world champion, fulfilling a childhood dream, and accomplishing his goals mattered far more than squeezing out one last paycheck. Everything else, he said, was simply a bonus.
Choosing Health, Family, and Life After Boxing
Crawford also pointed to his health as a decisive factor. He has long believed fighters should retire before the sport forces the decision on them. The physical toll — the pain, the wear and tear, the unseen damage — eventually became impossible to ignore.
He explained that after decades in the gym and the ring, he began asking himself how many more training camps and fights his body could realistically endure. Rather than giving everything to boxing until there was nothing left, Crawford chose to keep something for himself.
That choice includes time and energy for his children and a future beyond the sport. He’s seen too many fighters stay too long, only to struggle later with their health and quality of life. Crawford wanted no part of that ending.
After more than 30 years in boxing, starting at age seven, he retired with a flawless 42-0 record, 31 knockouts, and one of the strongest resumes the sport has ever seen. There are no unfinished goals, no regrets, and no desire to sell his health for one more fight.
