The Omaha, Nebraska native announced his retirement December 16.

Crawford returned to the spotlight Friday night, however, when he was honored as The Ring’s “Fighter of the Year” for 2025 at its second annual awards gala at Cipriani in New York. He only fought once last year, but moving up two weight classes, from junior middleweight to super middleweight, to defeat Alvarez clearly on the scorecards earned Crawford the award.

The ambidextrous, masterful Crawford won eight rounds according to judge Steve Weisfeld, who scored their bout 116-112 on September 13 at a packed Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Judges Tim Cheatham and Max De Luca each scored seven rounds for Crawford, who won 115-113 apiece on their cards.

His victory established Crawford as the lone three-division undisputed champion among male boxers in the four-belt era. Crawford was previously the fully unified champ at junior welterweight and welterweight.

Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) nonetheless knew it was time to stop putting his body through the rigors of training camp.

“I’m 38,” Crawford told Adin Ross, a popular online streamer, last month. “Thirty-eight is old in boxing. I been boxing since I was 7.”

Crawford won world titles in divisions with limits 33 pounds apart, from lightweight to super middleweight.

“I have nothing else to prove,” Crawford said. “I have nothing else to accomplish. What more can I do? They’re not gonna give me the credit anyway, so it really doesn’t even matter.”

Retirement suits him, according to what Crawford told DAZN’s Todd Grisham and Sergio Mora and The Ring’s Mike Coppinger on Thursday in New York.

“I’m enjoying it,” Crawford said. “You know, I’m enjoying the fruits of my labor. I been puttin’ more time in [with] my kids and they wrestling career and things like that. And just being able to relax and not focus on other things outside of my family.”

The other finalists (alphabetically):