Terence Crawford has strongly criticized WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman after losing his WBC super-middleweight title. Crawford achieved the undisputed 168lb champion status by defeating Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas, making him the first male fighter in the modern era to hold undisputed titles in three weight classes.
However, Crawford’s reign as the undisputed super-middleweight champion was abruptly ended when Sulaiman revealed that Crawford had been stripped of his green and gold belt due to unpaid sanctioning fees. Crawford expressed his frustration at the decision, emphasizing that he had not paid the fees and questioning the WBC’s superiority over other sanctioning bodies.
In a fiery response, Crawford denounced Sulaiman’s actions, highlighting the financial burden on fighters to support the lavish lifestyles of sanctioning bodies. The dispute escalated as Sulaiman characterized Crawford’s refusal to pay the fees as a disrespectful gesture, citing the WBC’s contributions to lucrative boxing events and expressing disappointment at the turn of events.
Following Crawford’s dethronement, the WBC swiftly organized a title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli to fill the vacant championship. Mbilli, who previously claimed the interim title, will face Sheeraz, a British fighter known for his knockout victory over Edgar Berlanga. The WBC’s decision to vacate Crawford’s title marks a new chapter in the super-middleweight division.