Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Terence Crawford
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Terence Crawford made an impact.
Terence Crawford is a retired American professional boxer celebrated for his undefeated record and historic achievements. He won 18 major world championships across five weight classes, from lightweight to super middleweight. Crawford made history as the first male boxer to become a three-weight undisputed world champion, holding undisputed titles at light welterweight, welterweight, and super middleweight. Notably, in the four-belt era, he was the first male boxer to achieve undisputed status in two and three divisions and the first to unify both light welterweight and welterweight divisions.
2004: Kostya Tszyu Undisputed Champion
Kostya Tszyu was the undisputed light welterweight champion in 2004, prior to Terence Crawford achieving the same title in 2017.
2005: Jermain Taylor Held All Four Major World Titles
In 2005, Jermain Taylor was the first boxer in any weight class to simultaneously hold all four major world titles since Terence Crawford in 2017.
2006: Zab Judah Undisputed Welterweight Champion
In 2006, Zab Judah was the undisputed welterweight champion, prior to Terence Crawford achieving the same title in 2023.
March 14, 2008: Professional Debut
On March 14, 2008, Terence Crawford made his professional boxing debut as a lightweight, defeating Brian Cummings by knockout in the first round.
2008: Start of professional boxing career
In 2008, Terence Crawford began his career as a professional boxer. He retired in 2025 with an undefeated record.
2008: Failed to Qualify for Olympics
Shortly before the 2008 Olympics, Terence Crawford's loss to Sadam Ali thwarted his Olympic ambitions, despite being the highest-ranked lightweight in the US.
June 2013: Klimov's Win Over Molina Jr.
In June 2013, Andrey Klimov was coming off a majority decision win over John Molina Jr. prior to his scheduled fight with Terence Crawford.
August 21, 2013: Fight Against Andrey Klimov Announced
On August 21, 2013, it was announced that Terence Crawford would fight Andrey Klimov in an elimination bout to challenge Ricky Burns for the WBO title.
October 2013: Co-founded B&B Sports Academy
In October 2013, Terence Crawford co-founded B&B Sports Academy, a nonprofit gym dedicated to building the body, mind and character of young people, including at-risk youth. The academy is free for kids and includes a tutoring program.
2013: Anti-Bullying Campaign
In 2013, Terence Crawford started an Anti-Bullying campaign where he visited schools all over Omaha to discuss bullying, how to deal with it, and how to prevent it.
March 1, 2014: Fought Ricky Burns for WBO Lightweight Title
On March 1, 2014, Terence Crawford fought Ricky Burns in Scotland for the WBO lightweight title.
March 4, 2014: Key to the City and Terence "Bud" Crawford Day
On March 4, 2014, just three days after defeating Ricky Burns, Crawford was honored with the Key to the City of Omaha, Nebraska. The Omaha City Council also declared March 4, 2014, as Terence "Bud" Crawford Day.
June 28, 2014: First Title Defense Against Yuriorkis Gamboa
On June 28, 2014, Terence Crawford made his first title defense against Yuriorkis Gamboa in Omaha, Nebraska. This was only the second title fight ever held in Omaha since 1972.
November 29, 2014: Second Defense Against Ray Beltrán
On November 29, 2014, Terence Crawford made his second defense of the WBO title against Ray Beltrán at The CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The winner of the bout would become The Ring's lightweight champion.
2014: Dierry Jean loss
Dierry Jean's only previous loss as a professional had come in 2014 against light welterweight titlist Lamont Peterson, in Peterson's hometown of Washington, D.C., after which Jean dropped down to lightweight where he won four fights in a row.
2014: TKO Victory Over Gamboa
In 2014, Terence Crawford secured a TKO victory over Yuriorkis Gamboa in front of a sold-out hometown crowd. At the time of stoppage, Crawford was ahead on the judges' scorecards and landed 146 of 348 punches (42 percent). The show peaked at 1.286 million viewers, the highest-rated HBO Boxing After Dark telecast of the year.
2014: Won WBO Lightweight Title
In 2014, Terence Crawford traveled overseas to face Ricky Burns and won the WBO lightweight title, marking his first world championship.
2014: Charitable Missions to Rwanda and Uganda
In 2014, Terence Crawford traveled with his former teacher Jamie Nollette to Rwanda and Uganda on several charitable missions to help build and drill wells to create clean water for communities.
March 6, 2015: Announced Debut as Light Welterweight
On March 6, 2015, it was reported that Terence Crawford would debut as a light welterweight, challenging for the vacant WBO title against Thomas Dulorme on April 18.
2015: Claimed WBO Light Welterweight Title
In 2015, Terence Crawford moved up to light welterweight and defeated Thomas Dulorme to claim the vacant WBO light welterweight title.
February 27, 2016: Fought Hank Lundy
On February 27, 2016, Terence Crawford fought Hank Lundy at the Theater of Madison Square Garden.
May 3, 2016: Contract Signed for Unification Fight
On May 3, 2016, it was confirmed that Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol signed a contract for a light welterweight unification fight on July 23.
June 2016: Molina Defeated Provodnikov
In June 2016, John Molina Jr. defeated Ruslan Provodnikov by unanimous decision, claiming the vacant WBO International light welterweight title, prior to his fight with Terence Crawford in December.
July 2016: Gamboa named toughest fight
In an interview in July 2016, Terence Crawford stated that his fight against Yuriorkis Gamboa in 2014 was still his toughest fight to date.
December 10, 2016: Fought John Molina Jr.
On December 10, 2016, Terence Crawford fought John Molina Jr. in Omaha, Nebraska, with Molina missing weight and forfeiting a portion of his purse.
December 2016: Lipinets Named Indongo's Mandatory Challenger
In December 2016, Sergey Lipinets was named Julius Indongo's mandatory challenger by the IBF, but Indongo was granted an exemption to allow his unification fight with Terence Crawford to proceed.
2016: Stopped Molina in Omaha
In 2016, Terence Crawford stopped John Molina in the eighth round in Omaha. After the fight, Crawford stated he felt he should be the 2016 'Fighter of the Year'.
February 2017: Crawford's next defence
In early February 2017, Bob Arum discussed Terence Crawford's next defence and possible opponents, with HBO setting a May 20 date.
May 2017: Deal with Everlast
In May 2017, Terence Crawford signed a deal with sports equipment brand Everlast.
July 1, 2017: Crawford vs. Indongo Unification Fight Announced
On July 1, 2017, Top Rank announced that Terence Crawford and Julius Indongo would unify the light welterweight titles on August 19 at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. The fight, sanctioned by the WBA for their super title, aimed to crown the division's first undisputed champion since Kostya Tszyu in 2004 and the first time all major titles were at stake since Bernard Hopkins vs. Jermain Taylor in 2005. Both fighters paid over $100,000 U.S. dollars in sanctioning fees.
October 26, 2017: Crawford Vacates WBO Title
On October 26, 2017, Terence Crawford officially vacated his WBO title to move up to the welterweight division. The WBO then announced Crawford as the mandatory challenger for their titleholder, Jeff Horn.
December 2017: Crawford's Next Fight Delayed
In December 2017, Jeff Horn was scheduled to make a voluntary defense against Gary Corcoran, meaning Terence Crawford would not fight again until 2018.
2017: Became Undisputed Light Welterweight Champion
In 2017, Terence Crawford became the undisputed light welterweight champion, the first since Kostya Tszyu in 2004.
2017: Possible fight dates
Terence Crawford was initially not scheduled to fight until 2017, however, in 2016, due to the Golovkin-Jacobs fight being postponed to early 2017, this freed up the December 10 date for HBO and Crawford took on John Molina Jr.
January 10, 2018: Horn vs. Crawford Terms Agreed Upon
On January 10, 2018, it was confirmed that all terms had been agreed upon for Jeff Horn to defend his WBO title in a mandatory defense against Terence Crawford, after renegotiating the purses. The fight was being slated for April 21, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
April 2018: Potential Dates for Crawford Fight
In April 2018, Bob Arum held dates for Crawford's next fight, after Jeff Horn's fight with Gary Corcoran.
April 21, 2018: Original Date Slated for Horn vs. Crawford
April 21, 2018, was the original date slated for the fight between Jeff Horn and Terence Crawford at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, before it was moved to Las Vegas.
October 13, 2018: Crawford's First WBO Title Defense Slated
October 13, 2018, was the date slated for Terence Crawford's first defense of the WBO title, with José Benavidez as a likely opponent.
January 4, 2019: Crawford's Return Pushed Back
On January 4, 2019, Terence Crawford's scheduled return to the ring was pushed back to April 20, 2019, with no opponent yet announced.
March 23, 2019: Crawford vs. Collazo Card Scheduled
On March 23, 2019, Terence Crawford and Luis Collazo were scheduled to headline a Top Rank card on ESPN at Madison Square Garden in New York. However, Crawford was also offered a fight with Amir Khan.
April 2019: Partnership with Populum
In April 2019, Terence Crawford partnered with premium hemp CBD brand Populum, serving as an advocate for the use of CBD among boxers.
April 20, 2019: Crawford vs. Khan Set for April 20
On April 20, 2019, Terence Crawford and Amir Khan fought at Madison Square Garden and aired on ESPN PPV. Khan accepted the fight after negotiations with Kell Brook stalled.
December 14, 2019: Crawford vs. Kavaliauskas at Madison Square Garden
On December 14, 2019, Terence Crawford faced Egidijus Kavaliauskas at Madison Square Garden. Crawford controlled the fight with his jab and combinations, securing a victory.
August 25, 2020: Discussions for Crawford vs. Brook
On August 25, 2020, Bob Arum revealed that discussions were ongoing for Terence Crawford to face Kell Brook, with November 14, 2020, being the targeted date.
October 6, 2020: Crawford vs. Brook Officially Announced
On October 6, 2020, the fight between Terence Crawford and Kell Brook was officially announced to be held at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Paradise, Nevada.
November 14, 2020: Target Date for Crawford vs. Brook
November 14, 2020, was the targeted date for the fight between Terence Crawford and Kell Brook. The fight took place at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Paradise, Nevada.
July 22, 2021: Crawford Ordered to Defend Against Porter
On July 22, 2021, the WBO ordered Terence Crawford to defend his welterweight title against Shawn Porter.
September 2, 2021: WBO Sets Purse Bid for Crawford vs. Porter
On September 2, 2021, the WBO set a purse bid for the Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter fight after negotiations stalled. It was later postponed to September 14.
October 21, 2022: Crawford vs. Avanesyan Announced
On October 21, 2022, Terence Crawford's fight against David Avanesyan was announced for December 10, 2022, at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
December 10, 2022: Crawford vs. Avanesyan Fight Date
On December 10, 2022, Terence Crawford was scheduled to make the sixth defense of his WBO welterweight championship against David Avanesyan, headlining a BLK Prime Boxing PPV at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
February 27, 2023: Crawford Ordered to Defend Against Rocha
On February 27, 2023, the WBO ordered Terence Crawford to make a mandatory title defense against Alexis Rocha.
May 25, 2023: Crawford vs. Spence Jr. Confirmed
On May 25, 2023, it was confirmed that Terence Crawford would fight Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight titles on July 29, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
July 29, 2023: Crawford vs Spence Jr. at T-Mobile Arena
On July 29, 2023, Terence Crawford fought Errol Spence Jr. for the undisputed welterweight titles at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
September 2023: Charity Basketball Game
In September 2023, Terence Crawford participated in a celebrity charity basketball game staged to benefit the Lifedriven Foundation, which supports adolescents diagnosed with cancer, and their families.
November 9, 2023: Crawford Stripped of IBF Title
On November 9, 2023, after Spence exercised his rematch clause with Crawford, the IBF stripped Crawford of his title and made Jaron Ennis the full champion.
November 2023: Partnership deal with Prime Hydration
In November 2023, Terence Crawford formalized a partnership deal with Prime Hydration, after being sponsored for his July fight with Errol Spence Jr.
2023: Became Undisputed Welterweight Champion
In 2023, Terence Crawford defeated Errol Spence Jr. to become the undisputed welterweight champion, a title that hadn't been achieved since Zab Judah in 2006.
April 20, 2024: Crawford to Challenge Madrimov
On April 20, 2024, it was reported that Terence Crawford would move up a weight class to challenge Israil Madrimov for his WBA super welterweight title in Los Angeles on August 3, 2024.
August 3, 2024: Crawford vs. Madrimov
On August 3, 2024, Terence Crawford was scheduled to move up a weight class to challenge Israil Madrimov for his WBA super welterweight title in Los Angeles.
August 28, 2024: WBO Orders Crawford vs. Fundora
On August 28, 2024, it was reported that WBO ordered the junior middleweight title fight between Terence Crawford, and Sebastian Fundora.
2024: Became Four-Division World Champion
In 2024, Terence Crawford moved up to light middleweight and defeated Israil Madrimov, making him a four-division world champion.
2024: Charity Trip to Uganda
In 2024, Terence Crawford returned to Uganda for charity and other philanthropic reasons.
2024: Licensing Agreement for Undisputed
In 2024, Terence Crawford signed a 10-year licensing agreement for the boxing video game Undisputed. The deal includes equity ownership and a share of the franchise.
February 2025: Agreement to challenge Canelo Álvarez
In February 2025, an agreement was reported for Terence Crawford to challenge Saul 'Canelo' Álvarez for his super middleweight titles in a mega-fight scheduled for September 2025. Both boxers reportedly agreed to terms after meeting with Turki Alalshikh separately.
September 27, 2025: Second Parade After Victory
On September 27, 2025, the city of Omaha held a second parade for Terence Crawford, following his victory over Canelo Álvarez, to celebrate becoming the undisputed super middleweight champion. The celebration drew roughly 100,000 supporters, and Mayor John Ewing Jr. presented Crawford with another key to the city.
October 2025: "Championship Edition" Featuring Crawford
In October 2025, Undisputed released a "Championship Edition" of its video game featuring Terence Crawford on the cover.
November 2025: Featured by Haute Living
In November 2025, Terence Crawford was featured by Haute Living, modeling Ulysse Nardin watches.
November 2025: Featured on The Ring Magazine Cover
Terence Crawford was a featured cover athlete on The Ring magazine's November 2025 issue.
December 16, 2025: Crawford Announces Retirement
On December 16, 2025, Terence Crawford announced his retirement from boxing, sharing a career highlight video on social media. He cited his age as a major factor, stating he's 38 and has been boxing since he was 7.
2025: Won Undisputed Super Middleweight Championship
In 2025, Terence Crawford defeated Canelo Álvarez to capture the undisputed super middleweight championship.
2025: Partnership with Crown Coins Casino
In 2025, Terence Crawford partnered with Crown Coins Casino to serve as its brand ambassador. The collaboration included Crown Coins sponsoring Crawford and launching themed slot games featuring his likeness.
2025: Retirement from professional boxing
In 2025, Terence Crawford retired from professional boxing with an undefeated record after competing from 2008.
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