Terence “Bud” Crawford has announced his retirement from professional boxing, closing the chapter on a career defined not just by titles and accolades, but by resilience, belief, and an unrelenting drive to prove himself against doubt.
In a video message, Crawford reflected on the inevitability every fighter faces – the moment when the gloves are finally set down. He described a lifelong pursuit that went far beyond belts, money, or headlines. What fueled him, he said, was the feeling that comes when the world doubts you, yet you keep showing up, keep believing, and keep proving everyone wrong.
Boxing, Crawford acknowledged, gave him everything. ‘He fought for his family, for his city, and for the young boy he once was – armed with nothing more than a dream and a pair of gloves. Through every scar, every triumph, and every breath he poured into the sport’, Crawford insisted he did it his way, leaving nothing behind. Now, he says, he has made peace with what comes next.
Gratitude formed the heart of his farewell. He thanked the opponents who pushed him beyond limits he never knew existed, and the fans who believed in him even when belief was optional. Their support, he said, made the journey one he will carry with pride for the rest of his life.
In a characteristically candid note, Crawford also acknowledged his critics and doubters, crediting them for fueling the fire that drove him to heights he once thought unreachable. Their skepticism, he said, became motivation.
He extended special thanks to Turki Alalshikh, Sela, and Riyadh for believing in him and for their continued contributions to the sport of boxing, as well as to TKO for taking a chance on him early, and Top Rank for helping shape him into a champion.
Crawford paid tribute to his long-time trainer Brian “Bomac” McIntyre and the extended team that stood beside him throughout his career, describing them not merely as colleagues, but as family. He reserved particularly heartfelt words for his mother, whom he credited with instilling the mental toughness and resilience that defined him as a fighter – and for being the first to declare he would one day be a world champion.
Finally, he addressed his children, calling them his “ladies,” and made clear that this decision was not born of exhaustion or defeat. He is stepping away, he said, not because he is done fighting, but because he has won a different kind of battle – the rare victory of walking away on his own terms.
“This isn’t just goodbye,” Crawford concluded. “It’s the end of one fight, and the beginning of another.”
With that, one of boxing’s most disciplined and determined champions exits the ring, leaving behind a legacy built on belief, perseverance, and control of his own destiny.
