Terence Crawford Stripped of WBC Super Middleweight Title
The World Boxing Council (WBC) has taken the unprecedented step of stripping Terence Crawford of his super middleweight title, citing the American boxer’s failure to pay mandatory fees to the sanctioning body. This decision comes after Crawford’s dominant decision win against Canelo Alvarez earlier this year, which earned him the undisputed super middleweight championship.
According to the WBC, Crawford was given a discounted sanctioning fee of 0.6% on his reported $50 million purse from the Canelo fight, down from the standard 3%. However, the WBC claims that Crawford has refused to pay this fee, as well as fees from his previous fight against Israil Madrimov in August 2024. The WBC stated that it had sent multiple communications to Crawford, his manager, and his legal counsel, but received no response, leaving them with no choice but to strip him of the title.
Consequences and Next Steps
The vacant title will now be contested by British contender Hamzah Sheeraz (22-1, 18 KOs) and fellow super middleweight contender Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs). Sheeraz, who has won 22 consecutive fights since his first professional loss, will have the opportunity to become Britain’s next world champion. He impressed in his previous fight, stopping Edgar Berlanga, and will look to build on that momentum against Mbilli.
Mbilli, a Cameroon-born and Canada-based contender, is coming off a split-draw against Lester Martinez in September. The fight against Sheeraz promises to be an exciting matchup, with both fighters ranked highly in ESPN’s divisional rankings (Sheeraz at No. 4 and Mbilli at No. 5). The winner will claim the vacant WBC super middleweight title, marking a significant milestone in their career.
Crawford, who has held world championships in five divisions and been undisputed in three classes, will likely be disappointed by the WBC’s decision. However, his undefeated record and impressive resume ensure that he will remain a major force in the boxing world. As the situation develops, fans and pundits alike will be watching with interest to see how Crawford responds to the WBC’s actions and what his next move will be.
