Crawford retires on 'own terms'

Omaha boxer, 38, exits after his 17-year career with a perfect record of 42-0 and four titles.

- BY JAD EL REDA

TERENCE CRAWFORD hits Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez at their fight in September.

(STEVE MARCUS Getty Images)

Terence Crawford shook the boxing world on Tuesday by announcing his retirement, an unexpected decision that brings an end to one of the most dominant careers of the modern era.

At 38, the Omaha native decided to hang up his gloves at the top, undefeated and with a legacy that places him among the all-time greats.

Crawford bids farewell with a perfect record of 42 wins, 31 of them by knockout, after more than 17 years as a professional. With his unexpected retirement, Crawford leaves behind four titles in the 168-pound weight class.

"I'm retiring from competition, not because I've stopped fighting, but because I've won another kind of battle," Crawford said in a YouTube video. "The battle where you retire on your own terms."