Terence Crawford has publicly criticized WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman following the stripping of his WBC super-middleweight title. Crawford achieved the undisputed 168lb champion status with a historic win over Canelo Alvarez, making him the first male boxer in the modern era to hold undisputed titles in three weight divisions. However, Sulaiman confirmed the revocation of Crawford’s title due to unpaid sanctioning fees, leading to Crawford’s strong reaction during an Instagram live session.
In response to Sulaiman’s statements about the unpaid fees, Crawford expressed his discontent, questioning the WBC’s superiority over other sanctioning bodies. He emphasized the significance of The Ring belt and criticized the financial burden placed on fighters to cover expenses for sanctioning bodies. The dispute arose shortly after Sulaiman characterized Crawford’s failure to pay the fees as disrespectful, highlighting the WBC’s role in organizing lucrative fights like Crawford-Canelo.
Following Crawford’s title removal, a vacant title fight has been scheduled between Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli. Mbilli, who previously claimed the interim title with a knockout victory over Maciej Sulecki, is set to face Sheeraz, a British boxer known for his knockout win over Edgar Berlanga. The WBC swiftly moved to arrange this title fight to determine the new champion.
As the boxing community navigates this controversy, the dynamics of fighter-sanctioning body relationships and the financial implications for athletes have come into focus. The WBC’s decision to strip Crawford of his title underscores the complexities within the sport and the ongoing debate surrounding the role and responsibilities of sanctioning bodies in professional boxing.