‘I always said that’- Terence Crawford makes retirement pledge ahead of Canelo Alvarez fight

Terence Crawford doesn’t intend to hang up his gloves just yet. ‘Bud’ is on the cusp of a money-spinning superfight with Canelo Alvarez in September provided the Mexican superstar gets through William Scull in May. Crawford has never felt the need to have a different character to sell fights and the proof is in the puddingGetty WBA super welterweight champion Crawford will move up two weight classes to challenge Canelo at his natural home of super middleweight without a rehydration clause. Crawford has already achieved undisputed supremacy at super lightweight and welterweight and will be gunning to become the first male three-weight undisputed champion of the four-belt era against Canelo. The Omaha puncher admits he has no interest in unifying the belts at super welterweight due to the lack of star power in the division and so there will be little left for Crawford to achieve after his summer showdown. As he nears his 38th birthday it is natural for conversations about his future retirement to prop up. At present, there is no definitive end date for Crawford’s career, although he has pledged to go out on his own terms. Asked when he intends to retire during a recent appearance on Cigar Talk, Crawford replied: “When I want to. “I’m going to retire from boxing before I let boxing retire me. “I always said that. I’m going to retire on my own terms and I’m going to feel good because everything that I did, I did it my way. “Whether it took me however many years to get to the point where I am at; I did it my way.” Crawford then touched on what life will look like after boxing. Canelo has plenty of options for his next boutGETTY “I’m still going to be involved in boxing. I’m going to help out,” he added. “I have my non-profit organisation and I will still go to camps and give my advice and just motivate these fighters coming up. “I was just out there with Keyshawn [Davis] and Shakur [Stevenson], Steven [Nelson]. “Just all of them I just want to help and support them as much as I can. “I know that is motivating when you have big bro there and I’m pushing them and I’m not letting them slack or taking no s* from them. “They might be tired or lackadaisical and I’m like, ‘Hey man what the f* are you doing? Get your s* together’. Mikey Williams/Top RankCrawford wants to help Stevenson and Davis get to the top of the sport when he retires[/caption] “They love it when I am there and sometimes you need that extra push from somebody because it is different when you hear it from your coaches all the time. “And sometimes you are like, ‘I don’t give a f*’. And then sometimes when you hear that other voice that you don’t hear all the time you are, ‘Like oh f*** let me pick it up’.” Follow talkBOXING on social media talkBOXING is now on Twitter and Facebook. Follow us on social media for big breaking boxing news, exclusive interviews and the best bits from our talkBOXING YouTube show. Like our Facebook page HERE Follow us on Twitter HERE Sign up for our WhatsApp channel HERE

Feb 17, 2025 - 23:38

‘I always said that’- Terence Crawford makes retirement pledge ahead of Canelo Alvarez fight

Terence Crawford doesn’t intend to hang up his gloves just yet.

‘Bud’ is on the cusp of a money-spinning superfight with Canelo Alvarez in September provided the Mexican superstar gets through William Scull in May.

Terence Crawford celebrating with championship belts. — Crawford has never felt the need to have a different character to sell fights and the proof is in the pudding

WBA super welterweight champion Crawford will move up two weight classes to challenge Canelo at his natural home of super middleweight without a rehydration clause.

Crawford has already achieved undisputed supremacy at super lightweight and welterweight and will be gunning to become the first male three-weight undisputed champion of the four-belt era against Canelo.

The Omaha puncher admits he has no interest in unifying the belts at super welterweight due to the lack of star power in the division and so there will be little left for Crawford to achieve after his summer showdown.

As he nears his 38th birthday it is natural for conversations about his future retirement to prop up.

At present, there is no definitive end date for Crawford’s career, although he has pledged to go out on his own terms.

Asked when he intends to retire during a recent appearance on Cigar Talk, Crawford replied: “When I want to.

“I’m going to retire from boxing before I let boxing retire me.

“I always said that. I’m going to retire on my own terms and I’m going to feel good because everything that I did, I did it my way.

“Whether it took me however many years to get to the point where I am at; I did it my way.”

Crawford then touched on what life will look like after boxing.

Canelo Alvarez celebrating a boxing victory. — Canelo has plenty of options for his next bout

“I’m still going to be involved in boxing. I’m going to help out,” he added.

“I have my non-profit organisation and I will still go to camps and give my advice and just motivate these fighters coming up.

“I was just out there with Keyshawn [Davis] and Shakur [Stevenson], Steven [Nelson].

“Just all of them I just want to help and support them as much as I can.

“I know that is motivating when you have big bro there and I’m pushing them and I’m not letting them slack or taking no s*** from them.

“They might be tired or lackadaisical and I’m like, ‘Hey man what the f*** are you doing? Get your s*** together’.

Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis at a press conference.

Crawford wants to help Stevenson and Davis get to the top of the sport when he retires[/caption]

“They love it when I am there and sometimes you need that extra push from somebody because it is different when you hear it from your coaches all the time.

“And sometimes you are like, ‘I don’t give a f***’. And then sometimes when you hear that other voice that you don’t hear all the time you are, ‘Like oh f*** let me pick it up’.”