"I gave this sport every breath I had" - Terence Crawford officially retires from boxing just months after beating Canelo Alvarez

Terence Crawford is done with the sport of boxing. The Nebraska native recently took to social media to announce his retirement, issuing a heartfelt statement that thanked his opponents, fans, and others.

Crawford is undoubtedly among the greatest combat sports athletes of all time, having held 18 different major world championships across five weight classes. He's also the second-ever male three-weight undisputed world champion. Crawford leaves the sport undefeated with an incredible 42-0 record, having beaten Canelo Alvarez via unanimous decision in his last outing in September.

In an X post, Crawford shared a picture of his gloves hanging up and a YouTube link, writing:

"Walking away as a great with nothing else left to prove."

In a YouTube video posted on his official channel, Crawford narrated a heartfelt message in the voiceover, saying:

"Every fighter knows this moment will come; we just never know when. I spent my whole life chasing something, not belts, not money, not headlines, but that feeling."

He added:

"I gave this sport every breath I had. Every scar, every triumph, every ounce of my heart. And I’ve made peace with what’s next. Now, it’s time. Thank you to my opponents who pushed me to places I didn’t know I could go, to the fans who believed in me when they didn’t have to, and made this journey something I’ll carry with pride for the rest of my life... This isn’t goodbye. It’s just the end of one fight, and the beginning of another."

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When Canelo Alvarez admitted he couldn't "figure out" Terence Crawford in the ring

After their highly anticipated undisputed super middleweight fight in September, Canelo Alvarez gave Terence Crawford his flowers as a boxer and admitted that he was simply outclassed in the ring.

At the post-fight press conference, Alvarez admitted that he tried his best and stated:

"I always tried, all the rounds I tried. But you need to accept it, sometimes you cannot go. I never thought about [him beating me] because I cannot think that way. I tried my best tonight."

He added:

"We knew Crawford is a great fighter, and I did what I was supposed to do, right? I tried to do everything, and I trained really hard. He deserves all of the credit. I tried my best tonight, and I could not figure out the style."