Terence Crawford, the retired former undisputed super middleweight champion, signed a contract on Thursday to launch a new boxing promotion based in Japan, partnering with Nagoya gym operator Gen Matsuda and Japanese combat sports star Ren Hiramoto. Footage of the signing was shared across social media, including a clip posted by the account @BoxingMassacre showing Crawford seated alongside Matsuda at a press table in Japan.
The 38-year-old from Omaha announced his retirement from competition in December 2025, three months after his unanimous decision win over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium. He finished his career 42-0 with 31 knockouts and became the first male boxer to win undisputed titles in three weight classes, as CNN reported at the time of his retirement.
The Partnership
Gen Matsuda operates the Matsuda Boxing Gym in Nagoya and promotes the “SOUL FIGHTING” series of cards at Nagoya Kinjofuto Arena. The gym’s recent April 5, 2026 show featured Aoi Murata against Seonghwa Bae over eight rounds. Other Matsuda gym boxers include Otoya Inuzuka and Rento Miyazawa.
Ren Hiramoto, 27, is a featherweight competitor with Rizin FF. The former K-1 lightweight tournament runner-up has built a sizable profile in Japanese combat sports across kickboxing and mixed martial arts. He was scheduled to headline RIZIN.53 against Kouzi at Glion Arena Kobe on May 10, 2026.
Crawford and Hiramoto had been seen together publicly earlier this month, including a shadow-boxing face-off in Japan that drew attention from fans on both sides of the Pacific.
What the Venture Is Aiming For
According to remarks Crawford made at the press conference announcing the venture, the promotion will focus on bringing American boxers to Japan and growing the country’s profile in the global boxing market. Crawford also said he believes Naoya Inoue, Japan’s pound-for-pound number one, could win a world title at a fifth weight class up at featherweight.
Japan’s commercial standing in the sport has risen sharply in recent months. The Naoya Inoue versus Junto Nakatani undisputed super bantamweight unification, held earlier this year, produced one of the largest gates in boxing history.
Crawford’s move into promotion arrives roughly five months after his retirement. The Japan Times reported in December that Crawford framed his retirement as stepping away from competition rather than from the sport itself, telling supporters in his announcement video, “I’m stepping away from competition, not because I’m done fighting, but because I’ve won a different type of battle.”
The Thursday signing ceremony was attended by Matsuda and Hiramoto. A formal launch date, broadcast partner, and inaugural card for the new promotion have not yet been publicly announced.
