Terence Crawford has revealed a planned historic fight against Janibek Alimkhanuly was cancelled before his retirement. The bout was scrapped after Alimkhanuly failed a doping test, ending Crawford’s pursuit of another title and contributing to his decision to retire in December 2025.
Crawford hung up the gloves as an undefeated five-weight world champion, stating that potential fights against rising contenders like Jaron Ennis would do nothing more for his legacy. For the 38-year-old, the motivation was not simply to compete, but to continue making history. A potential rematch with Canelo Alvarez was never formally offered, leaving Crawford with limited options that met his specific criteria. One final opportunity, however, was in motion before it collapsed.
Speaking on a podcast, Crawford explained his mindset and the circumstances that led to the cancelled bout.
He stated: “Every fight that I fought since 2014 has been for something. Either I’m defending my title, or I’m going to conquer another division for a title … [I said] I’m gonna beat Canelo and I’m gonna see what they do down here [at 154]. Then it came out that Janibek was on performance enhancers. So, that fight got cancelled. I think they stripped him for a title. I’m into making history … but it didn’t [play out like that].”
The quote clarifies Crawford’s end-of-career strategy. The fight with Alimkhanuly represented a chance to conquer another weight class, a challenge that aligned with his goals. But Alimkhanuly’s failed test and subsequent sanctions, which included being stripped of his IBF belt, removed that option from the table entirely.
With that path closed, Crawford saw no other compelling reason to continue. The collapse of the Alimkhanuly fight effectively served as the final signal for his retirement. As a result, the middleweight division will remain the one weight class he skipped in his dominant run from 135 to 168 pounds, cementing his final record and legacy as it now stands.
