Terence Crawford has already had a career to remember.
The American has become a four-weight world champion, having claimed world honours at lightweight, super-lightweight, welterweight and super-welterweight.
While campaigning at 140lbs and 147lbs, ‘Bud’ also secured undisputed status, defeating fighter such as Errol Spence, Shawn Porter, and Viktor Postol along the way to being the sole ruler of each of those divisions.
Crawford is now set for another huge year, as he prepares to move up two weight classes to take on Canelo Alvarez at 168lbs in September.
A victory could give him a chance to become the first male three-weight undisputed champion, provided that WBC, WBA and WBO champion Alvarez first defeats IBF champion William Scull in May.
Crawford is now 37-years-old and has been a professional since 2008, with some boxing fans questioning how long it will be until he hangs up the gloves. Many in the sport believed that he would hang up the gloves if he didn’t land the mega fight against Alvarez, leading to speculation that he will leave boxing behind after that final bell.
‘Bud’ was asked directly on Cigar Talk when he will retire from the sport. The switch-hitting star made it clear that he will not fight on unnecessarily – something fans have seen many fighters do in the past.
“When I want to. I’m going to retire from boxing before I let boxing retire me. I always said that I want to retire on my own terms. I’m going to feel good because everything I did I did my own way.
“Whether it took me however many years to get to the point where I’m at, I did it my way. A lot of people can’t say that. A lot of people can criticise me and say ‘he re-signed with , he’s this, he’s that.’ At the time that was the best move for me and my career.”
Floyd Mayweather notable had the same view, saying “you’ve got to know when to hang them up” after citing the many sad stories of fighters who did not.
Crawford’s upcoming fight with Canelo means that fans will see him at least once more.
