The age-old debate of boxer vs. MMA fighter continues to captivate combat sports fans, a rivalry that dates back to James Toney’s ill-fated UFC appearance against Randy Couture. Over the years, the narrative has evolved, most notably when Conor McGregor crossed over to face Floyd Mayweather in 2017, and more recently when Francis Ngannou shared the ring with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
The latest chapter featured a war of words between reigning UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and boxing great Terence Crawford. While Crawford praised Cody Garbrandt as the best boxer to ever compete in MMA last year, Topuria responded with a bold claim: vowing he could knock out the undefeated 41-0 with ease.
The Spaniard even pushed for a crossover bout following Crawford’s high-profile win over Canelo Alvarez, a fight promoted by Dana White under the Zuffa Boxing banner. However, any hopes of that clash were short-lived. Crawford announced his retirement after defeating Alvarez in Las Vegas last September, cementing his legacy as the first male fighter in the four-belt era to become undisputed champion in three separate weight classes.
🚨 BREAKING: Terence Crawford has officially announced his retirement from boxing
“I’m stepping away from competition, not because I’m done fighting, but because I’ve won a different kind of battle. The one where you walk away on your own terms.
This isn’t goodbye. It’s just… pic.twitter.com/Hir2i9ATPe
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 16, 2025
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Despite their earlier back-and-forth, Topuria struck a respectful tone following Crawford’s decision. Speaking to Ariel Helwani, he said, “Now that he’s retired, congrats to him for an amazing career that he had.”
He added, “He’s one of those boxers that I like to watch. I have learned many, many things from his style, so I don’t wanna even talk or challenge him because he’s retired. So I wish him all the best to him and his family.”
While retirements in boxing often prove temporary, Topuria believes Crawford is genuinely stepping away for good. He added, “He seems to be a a serious guy. Like, he seems to be the kind of person that says something, and he backs it up.”
llia Topuria says he doesn’t want to FIGHT Terence Crawford anymore, and even showed love to him during his interview
“Congrats to him for an amazing career he had.”
“I have learned many things from his style, so l don’t even want to challenge him. I wish him all the best and… pic.twitter.com/m97UlXRRhJ
— ITSDAFANTA 🥤 (@itsdafanta) April 24, 2026
Even so, Topuria’s own ambitions in the squared circle remain alive. For now, though, his focus stays firmly on the UFC, where he has his sights set on making history. The Spanish-Georgian star is targeting a future move up to 170lbs to challenge Islam Makhachev as part of a potential three-weight title run.
Before that, Topuria must defend his lightweight crown for the first time. He is set to face Justin Gaethje in a high-stakes title unification bout at the UFC White House event, coming 11 months after he claimed gold against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June 2025.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.