In his prime, Crawford operated in an environment he could mold. He controls the pace. He chose the range. He keeps everything in order. These factors underpinned his best wins. They allow him to solve puzzles without taking unnecessary damage. Victory was dominant because he controlled the variables. With height advantages of 135, 140, 147 and 154, Crawford has his own way.

Moving to 168 changed the math. The remaining names are younger, bigger and more unpredictable. Stepping into those circles meant dealing with physical stress and not being able to be as impactful as he enjoyed during his legendary runs. These matchups squeeze his time and crowd his space. They brought chaos to a process that Crawford had kept disciplined.

If Crawford steps into the ring with the likes of Owsley Iglesias, Christian Mbili or Diego Pacheco, he’ll be facing a slew of, hungry fighters who don’t care about his resume. At 168, the physical gap becomes a canyon. If he begins a losing streak on the young wave, the narrative surrounding his career will immediately change.

Instead of being considered a “pound-for-pound king,” critics began to argue that his legendary status was based on meticulous matchmaking rather than outright dominance.

By leaving now, he protected his “myth” of invincibility. He chose to leave as the master of his own career rather than become a stepping stone for the next generation. Crawford’s consecutive losses to Iglesias, Leicester, Mbili and Pacheco put his career in perspective. Therefore, it would be a wise move for him to retire.