“Boxing is a dangerous sport” Bob Arum applauds Crawford for retiring on top
While many believe Terence Crawford left some meat on the bone of his career by calling it quits last year at 38, longtime Crawford promoter Bob Arum counters he retired at a perfect crescendo.
“Why shouldn’t he have retired? Boxing is a dangerous sport,” Arum told The Ring.
“He accomplished everything and made more money, particularly in the last few fights, than he ever imagined. He lives in Nebraska and has Warren Buffett as a financial advisor. So he’s put away a lot of money.
“Why should he subject himself to all that work preparing for a fight and maybe getting hurt? You saw it with Marvin Hagler, who rode off into the sunset as well when he could have made a lot of money.”
Arum, who also promoted Hagler, signed Crawford in 2011 ahead of his 15th fight and, within three years, guided him to a lightweight title. An undisputed title run at 140 pounds came right after from 2015 to 2017, followed by a welterweight title run.
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But after Crawford beat Shawn Porter in November 2021, he split from Top Rank and fought as a free agent, eventually setting up a super fight against Errol Spence. He stopped the Texan in a July 2023 blockbuster bout for the undisputed 147-pound title.
Crawford later signed a lucrative deal with Riyadh Season, beating Israil Madrimov for a 154-pound title in August 2024 and Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight title last September.
Crawford then announced his retirement in December, passing on a potential run at 160 pounds to become a five-division champion.
“The fact that we didn’t carry him over the goal line, that’s unfortunate for us, but it is what it is, that’s showbiz,” said Arum. “Of course, I’m genuinely happy for him, because we’re largely responsible for his success. He was a non-entity when he first started with us, but our matchmakers discovered a rare talent, and we brought him along correctly. So we’re very proud of that.”
While Arum has always praised Crawford for his superior skills, he previously crushed him for his economic potential.
