Terence Crawford isn’t staying quiet.
Hours after being stripped of his WBC super middleweight title, the undefeated boxing star fired back at the sanctioning body in a blunt, profanity-laced Instagram video posted Wednesday, December 3.
“I ain’t paying yo a** s***,” Crawford said directly, calling out WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán by name.
The Omaha native made it clear he felt the organization was out of line compared to other governing bodies he works with. “What makes you better than any of the other sanctioning bodies?” Crawford asked. “What makes you better than the WBO, the IBF, or the WBA?”
Crawford continued by explaining that he had no issue reaching financial agreements elsewhere — just not with the WBC. “Everybody accepted what I was giving them but you,” he said. “You, the WBC, think that you’re better than everybody… you want me to pay you more than the other sanctioning bodies because you feel like you’re better than them.”
The response follows the WBC’s decision to strip Crawford of its super middleweight belt over unpaid sanctioning fees tied to his recent fights, including his blockbuster showdown with Canelo Alvarez. Crawford defeated Alvarez by unanimous decision in September to secure the undisputed championship, a win that reportedly earned him a $50 million purse.
According to the WBC, the organization reduced its standard sanctioning fee from 3 percent to 0.6 percent due to the magnitude of the event, a figure that would have totaled around $3 million had the original 3 percent stood.
The WBC has stated that 75 percent of that fee was earmarked for the José Sulaimán Boxers Fund, which provides humanitarian aid to fighters and their families worldwide.
In its official statement, the WBC said it sent repeated messages to Crawford, his management team, and legal counsel but received no response. “The WBC had no choice but to act,” the organization said, citing multiple attempts to resolve the situation before stripping the title.
Despite losing the WBC belt, Crawford’s résumé remains untouched. He holds an unblemished 42-0 record with 31 knockouts, has won world titles in five weight divisions, and has been undisputed champion in three. He also continues to hold championships across other sanctioning bodies.
With Crawford removed from the picture at super middleweight, the WBC has ordered a fight for the vacant title. British contender Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) is set to face Christian Mbilli, according to ESPN.