Terence Crawford has launched a scathing attack on WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman following the stripping of his WBC super-middleweight title. Crawford achieved undisputed champion status in the 168lb category by defeating Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas, marking the first time a male fighter has held undisputed titles in three weight classes in the modern era.
However, Crawford’s reign as the super-middleweight king was abruptly ended as Sulaiman confirmed the revocation of his green and gold belt due to unpaid sanctioning fees. Crawford expressed his frustration at the decision, citing Sulaiman’s claims of outstanding payments amounting to $300,000, as well as additional fees. The boxer questioned the WBC’s superiority over other sanctioning bodies and emphasized the significance of The Ring belt over traditional titles.
In a bold move, Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are set to collide in a heavyweight showdown in Miami on December 19, with the fight streaming exclusively on Netflix. Fans can access the fight for free through Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle, the lowest price offered by Sky TV. Crawford’s defiant response to the WBC’s actions highlighted the financial burden placed on fighters to cover extravagant expenses for sanctioning bodies, criticizing the lack of transparency in the sport.
Following Crawford’s dismissal, the WBC swiftly arranged a title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli to fill the vacant championship position. Mbilli, who previously secured the interim title, will challenge Sheeraz in a highly anticipated bout. The decision to strip Crawford of his title was met with mixed reactions, as the boxing community prepares for a new champion to emerge in the super-middleweight division.