The Fighter of the Year award is typically given to a current champion who is still defending his status and expanding his position in the sport. By the time this man arrived, Crawford was gone, which changed how the honor was understood. This did not establish his status. When he quit, it confirmed where he was.

Reward after exit

A victory over Canelo would mean more than a single result. Alvarez served as boxing’s commercial centerpiece for years, dominating the sport’s most valuable bouts and holding his own through multiple championship cycles. Crawford came into this environment from two levels below and controlled the fight for twelve rounds, removing any uncertainty about how far his skills would go. When he retired three months later, there was no opponent waiting to challenge the unfinished claim.

The BWAA’s vote reflects this outcome. Crawford has one fight in 2025, while Demetri Bivol, Naoya Inoue, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Rene Santiago are still active in their respective divisions. The annual awards typically favor fighters who accumulate wins throughout the calendar. In this case, the value of a single performance exceeds a year’s worth of events elsewhere.

Before facing Alvarez, Crawford had built one of the rarest careers in the sport. He became the undisputed champion of the lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, clearing each division without leaving a single opponent to question his status. Alvarez’s win extends that pattern into the fifth weight class, with an opponent whose position has remained solid for years. When Crawford subsequently left, his approach did not produce the results that needed to be corrected or continued.

Formal recognition of a completed career

The Fighter of the Year award is awarded upon completion of export. This did not change his career path or introduce a new phase. This formal recognition of his final appearance settled the question of how to measure his career.

BWAA voting is based on final results and not in anticipation of new chapters. Crawford had already completed his career when the award was announced, a decision that confirmed how his final game clearly defined his status.