Crawford Reflects on Missed Fights Defends Legacy

Terence Crawford, the undefeated boxing champion who retired earlier this year after a dominant victory over Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, has opened up about the fights that eluded him and defended his legacy amid criticism from fellow fighter Ryan Garcia.

Crawford announced his retirement in 2025 at age 38, capping a career with a perfect 40-0 record, including 31 knockouts. His final bout came last September at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where he outpointed Alvarez over 12 rounds to claim the undisputed super middleweight title. The win made Crawford the first fighter since Henry Armstrong in 1938 to hold undisputed championships in three weight divisions, following earlier triumphs at light welterweight in 2017 against Julius Indongo and at welterweight in 2023 over Errol Spence Jr.

In recent interviews, Crawford expressed regret over never facing Manny Pacquiao, the sport's only eight-division champion. "Pacquiao, for sure. 1000," Crawford said. "Man, I tried to fight Pacquiao for so long. That was a fight that I was chasing for years, since I was 140lbs." He recalled frustration watching Pacquiao face opponents like Adrien Broner, Tim Bradley, and Keith Thurman, whom he...