Terence “Bud” Crawford was born on September 28, 1987, in Omaha, Nebraska. Raised largely by a single mother, he was introduced to boxing at the age of seven, training at CW Boxing Club. As an amateur he amassed a record of roughly 70 wins and 12 losses, with several national tournament victories, including the National PAL Championships and Blue & Gold Championships, and competed in trials for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.
Crawford turned professional in March 2008, debuting with a first-round knockout over Brian Cummings. In his early professional career he compiled numerous wins, many by knockout, gradually moving up in weight. One of his first breakout wins came in 2013 against Breidis Prescott, which helped establish him as a serious contender at lightweight.
On March 1, 2014, Crawford captured his first world title by defeating Ricky Burns to become the WBO lightweight champion. From there he continued to climb through the weight classes, capturing titles at light welterweight and later at welterweight, earning unified and undisputed championships along the way. His rise was marked by technical skill, adaptability, and power, which have defined his standing among the elite in boxing.