“From Underdog to World Champion: The Jaw-Dropping Rise After Crawford’s Retirement!”

Terence Crawford : This week, during a ceremony in Mexico City, the World Boxing Council elevated Mbilli from interim titleholder to World Champion at 168 pounds following the retirement of Terence Crawford.

Reflecting on Mbilli’s longstanding journey with the organization, Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the WBC, commented, “You are a champion we are incredibly proud of. Christian has been part of our organization for a long time; he was the WBC Continental Americas champion, making 9 successful defenses before becoming the interim champion.”

On the 13th of September, Mbilli fought Guatemala’s Lester Martínez to a split draw in a show-stealing fight that made many lists as a 2025 “Fight of the Year.” It was a fight that Mauricio Sulaiman noted when presenting the famed Green and Gold belt to Mbilli (29-0-1 with 24 KOs).

“You and Lester Martinez put on a spectacular fight—the best of 2025. On this occasion, we are honored to present you with the Fight of the Year trophy and your belt as the undisputed World Champion at 168 pounds,” stated Sulaimán.

READ MORE :Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford Sends Clear Message on Wife

Mbilli, who showed up to the event in a double-breasted suit, quickly called his mother to share the news of his new championship status, according to the WBC. He previously held a junior version of the title belt, but there is increased pressure across boxing to ensure only one champion remains in each division.

“No mother likes to see their child taking punches. Although she is proud of me, it is very difficult for her to see me in the ring,” he said in the media statement.

Further cementing his reputation, Mbilli raised eyebrows last year when he blasted the normally durable Maciej Sulecki with a powerful TKO victory in Quebec City, the Canadian city the Cameroonian fighter calls home.

Boxing Great Terence Crawford Watches Proudly as His Son Competes on the Wrestling Mat

The son of a boxing legend secured a third place finish at a Nebrasha high school wrestling conference tournament this past weekend.

Terence Crawford was in attendance and matside watching his son, Terence Crawford, Jr., earn bronze at the Omaha Metro Conference Tournament in Bellevue, Nebraska on Saturday.

Competing at 106 pounds, Crawford won his first two matches by fall before suffering a 19-13 decision in the semifinals. He bounced back with a pair of decision wins on the consolation side, including a 6-1 win for third over Daniel Loarca-Perez of Omaha Buena Vista.

Son Of Boxing Legend Having Strong Freshman High School Wrestling Season

Crawford Jr., a freshman, owns a record of 21-5 on the season competing for Omaha North High School.

The 38-year-old Crawford announced his retirement after defeating Canelo Alvarez last Septmeber to win the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring super middleweight championships. He won all 42 of his professional boxing matches, including 31 by knockout.

Terence Crawford Wrestled While Preparing For Incredible Boxing Career

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford started training at C.W. Boxing Club in North Omaha at a young age. He also participated in wrestling as a youth in Nebraska.

Crawford has six children with Alindra Person, along with another child.

Creighton Prep captured the team title at the Omaha Metro Conference Tournament with 336.5 points. Omaha Bryan was second, as Crawford and Omaha North finished eighth overall.

The Shock of 2026; Top 10 Shaken Up in January 2026 After Terence Crawford’s Stunning Retirement

Typical, isn’t it? As soon as we all pretty much agreed on who the best ‘pound for pound’ boxer in the world is, Terence Crawford decides to walk away.

“Almost Impossible to Defeat” – Boxing’s New Top Fighter Revealed Following Terence Crawford’s Retirement, According to Shakur Stevenson

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson has often heralded the talent of his good friend Terence Crawford but now that ‘Bud’ has retired, Stevenson has highlighted the quality of another fighter and labelled him as the best fighter in the sport, besides himself.

Stevenson could soon thrust himself into the conversation as a top five pound-for-pound talent, having maintained an undefeated record whilst winning world titles in three weight divisions ahead of a challenge against Teofimo Lopez for honours in a fourth weight-class.

At present, the top spot is occupied by either Oleksandr Usyk or Naoya Inoue in the eyes of the majority of boxing fans, with both men having become multi-weight undisputed champions whilst remaining unbeaten.

READ MORE : The bold claim and surprising factor that could end Terence

However, in an interview with The Breakfast Club, Stevenson pinpointed unified light-heavyweight ruler Dmitry Bivol as boxing’s best, appreciating the traditional style of the Russian sensation.

“I think that Bivol is one of the hardest fighters to beat because he’s so basic and he mastered the fundamentals of boxing. He keeps his hands up, he keeps his one-two going and he got great footwork.

“He doesn’t just stand there in front of guys all night, he is moving all around and to me, besides myself, I think that he is the best [active] boxer.”

Bivol has undergone 11 months of inactivity since avenging the lone defeat of his career and defeating Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175lb title. Although, it is expected that Bivol will return to the ring to face IBF mandatory challenger Michael Eifert this spring.

‘I thought it would be more difficult’ Terence Crawford on his win over Canelo Álvarez

Now retired from professional boxing, Terence Crawford recently spoke with YouTube host Adin Ross about his career and his victory over Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez.

The unanimous-decision win over Álvarez in September in Las Vegas marked the end of Crawford’s domination of the sport — he subsequently retired with a 42-0 record and 31 knockouts — and the Mexican star’s run as super-middleweight champion.

During the conversation, Crawford said he expected to be challenged and tested more by Álvarez. Crawford, who had won titles in four weight classes before moving up to face Álvarez, took all four 168-pound titles on the line in the bout, becoming the undisputed champion at a third level.

“I’m not going to lie, I thought it would be more difficult,” he said.

Crawford explained that as the early rounds progressed, he was able to clearly read his opponent’s approach and feel increasingly comfortable in the ring. Crawford said he didn’t notice any significant adjustments on Álvarez’s part, which allowed him to control the pace of the fight and choose his moments to attack more effectively.

The first round went by, the second round went by … and then I thought, ‘I’ve got him,’” Crawford said.

Crawford also spoke about the prefight narrative and how, in his opinion, he was underestimated.

“A lot of people spent time talking about how big he is, his stamina, that he was going to knock me out or run all over me,” Crawford said. “There was no talk about whether or not I could hurt him.”

According to Crawford, that perception changed in the ring when his power forced Álvarez to be more cautious. Crawford said the Mexican ended up respecting his punching power and his ability to control the exchanges.

2026 Comeback Dreams Put on Hold as Terence Crawford Makes His Position Clear — Rumor

Terence Crawford called time on his stellar 42-fight unbeaten career, to the shock of fans who expected him to return in 2026.

The American superstar beat Canelo Alvarez in the biggest fight of his time as a professional, stepping up to super-middleweight and dethroning the undisputed champion.

He had then teased a move to 160lbs, which would have seen him attempt to become a world champion in a sixth weight category.

‘Bud’ looked to be pursuing a clash with champion Janibek Alimkhanuly who was later pulled out of a unification clash with Erislandy Lara after failing a drugs test.

And shortly after, Crawford declared his time in the squared circle was over.

Although confirming his decision wasn’t based on the news, he has suggested there was simply nothing left to complete in the sport with an eye on preserving his legacy.

READ MORE :“Retirement Over Rematch“ Terence Crawford Sends Direct

He explained when asked why he retired: “Because I’m just that nice.

“Not to be cocky or anything it’s just when you’re so much better than the competition and you make them look how they’ve never looked before, everybody says, ‘Oh, they’re washed or this guy’s a bum’.

“Who else in today’s boxing that has a name would do anything to my legacy?

“I’m 38. 38 is old in boxing. I’ve been boxing since I was seven. I have nothing else to prove.

“I have nothing else to accomplish. It’s like, what more can I do?

“They’re not gonna give me the credit anyway so it really doesn’t even matter.”

Crawford has done what many in the sport haven’t retiring while at the peak of his powers and on top.

There is a risk that he could have fought on for too long and damaged his legacy, which now sees him brushing shoulders with the all-time greats.

British heavyweight Anthony Joshua is one of those, who believes Crawford still has more to give.

“I feel like Terence Crawford has got so, so much more to give,” he said.

“He’s been in the game for a long time, so maybe he’s like ‘forget it, I’m done mentally’, even though physically he’s good.”

“I would love to see him continue fighting. I think he’s got a lot left, but we have to live and let others live by their own rules.”

Who is the next Crawford ? “Very Few Can Do This” – Tim Bradley Teases the Next Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford’s retirement may have left boxing without its most complete modern fighter, but Tim Bradley believes the search for his heir need not last long.

Crawford bowed out of the sport last month with an unblemished record, a legendary résumé and a final victory destined for the history books.

From winning his first world title at lightweight to collecting belts across a further four weight classes, his achievements place him in rare company. He capped it all by becoming undisputed super-middleweight champion with a stunning win over long-time superstar Canelo Alvarez.

Later this month, however, fans may see the re-emergence of a fighter who, according to Bradley, has the potential to achieve similar success in Keyshawn Davis. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bradley said:

“Since Terence Crawford has left and retired from the sport, I think the closest fighter that could – I don’t want to say emulate – but has a damn good chance of at least attempting to do what Crawford did is Keyshawn Davis.”

READ MORE :“I Thought It’d Be Tougher” Terence Crawford Refuses to

Bradley, a former two-weight world champion who shared the ring with Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, outlined why he rates Davis so highly, while also stressing what must improve if the 26-year-old is to enjoy a truly illustrious career.

“Similar attributes: good power, great boxing ability, hell of an IQ, Olympic silver medallist. Has the intangibles as far as what’s internal. Kid is a killer. He definitely wants to knock you out. He definitely wants to hurt you. He’s got a lot of spite in him. A lot of pent-up pain. I’ll just say he’s got a lot of that in him – I can tell. However, he’s got to get this right mentally.”

Davis returns to the ring against Jamaine Ortiz on January 31, featuring on the Teofimo Lopez–Shakur Stevenson undercard at Madison Square Garden. Davis has spoken openly about his mental health struggles, but a focused and firing version of the American is a clear asset to the sport.

An impressive victory over Ortiz could set the tone for a strong 2026 for the former WBO lightweight champion — the very first world title Crawford won, against Ricky Burns, back in 2014.