Terence Crawford has been stripped of his WBC super middleweight title after the sanctioning body determined that the required fees tied to his recent fights were never paid.
According to the World Boxing Council, the decision stems from unpaid sanctioning fees following Crawford’s bouts against Israil Madrimov and Canelo Alvarez.
While Crawford remains undefeated at 42-0 with 31 knockouts and continues to hold championships in multiple divisions, the WBC said it had no alternative but to vacate the title after months of unsuccessful outreach.
Crawford captured the undisputed super middleweight crown in September with a 12-round decision victory over Alvarez, a fight that reportedly earned him $50 million. Due to the scale of the event, the WBC said it amended its standard fee structure, reducing its usual 3 percent charge to 0.6 percent — roughly $300,000.
The organization noted that 75 percent of that amount was designated for the José Sulaimán Boxers Fund, which provides financial and humanitarian assistance to fighters and their families worldwide.
In a formal statement, the WBC explained its reasoning for stripping Crawford of the belt. “The WBC sent multiple communications to Champion Crawford, his manager, and his legal counsel,” the organization said. “Very unfortunately, the WBC did not receive an acknowledgment of receipt nor any response to any of those communications. The WBC had no choice but to act, considering Champion Crawford had received ample notification and multiple opportunities to address and resolve the situation.”
Despite the loss of the WBC title, Crawford’s standing in the sport remains essentially unchanged. The Omaha native has held world titles in five weight divisions and has been an undisputed champion in three. Following the Alvarez win, he was celebrated in Nebraska with a citywide parade and public events honoring his accomplishments.
With the title now vacant, attention has shifted to the next chapter in the division. ESPN reports that British contender Hamzah Sheeraz is set to fight Christian Mbilli for the vacated belt.
Sheeraz enters the matchup with a 22-1 record and 18 knockouts, riding a lengthy win streak since his lone professional loss. Mbilli, unbeaten at 29-0-1, is coming off a split-draw war with Lester Martinez and is ranked among the division’s top contenders.