Boxing
Terence Crawford post-retirement player of the year
Fighter of the Year awards typically recognize lively champions who continue to defend their position and expand their profile in the sport. Crawford was already outside the ring when it happened, which was the deciding factor in him earning the honor. This did not build his position. This confirmed the level he maintained when he left.
Reward upon exit
The victory over Canelo had significance beyond a single result. Alvarez spent years as boxing’s commercial center, headlining some of the sport’s most valuable events and maintaining his spot through multiple championship cycles. Crawford entered this environment from two divisions below and controlled the fight for twelve rounds, removing any uncertainty as to how far his skills could reach. When he retired three months later, no opponent was waiting to contest his unfinished claim.
The BWAA vote reflected this closure. Crawford fought once in 2025, with Dmitry Bivol, Naoya Inoue, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Rene Santiago remaining lively in their respective divisions. Annual awards often favor competitors who accumulate victories throughout the calendar. In this case, a single performance outweighed a year’s worth of activity elsewhere.
Crawford had already had one of the infrequent careers in the sport before he faced Alvarez. He became the undisputed champion in the lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, clearing every division without leaving an opponent behind to challenge his position. Alvarez’s victory extended that pattern to a fifth weight class against an opponent whose position had remained secure for years. When Crawford later left, he did so without a result requiring correction or follow-up.
Formal recognition of a completed professional career
The title of Warrior of the Year was awarded after hanging up the gloves. It didn’t change the direction of his career or open a modern chapter. This event sealed his final performance as the performance that determined the rating of his run.
BWAA voting took place after the final bell rather than allowing for more rounds. Crawford was already locked up when the award was announced, and the result confirmed how firmly this latest fight cemented his place in the sport.
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