Terence Crawford expressed strong criticism towards WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman after losing his WBC super-middleweight title due to unpaid sanctioning fees. Crawford, known as ‘Bud,’ achieved the undisputed 168lb championship by defeating Canelo Alvarez in a historic bout in Las Vegas, making him the first male fighter in recent times to hold undisputed titles in three weight classes.
However, Crawford’s reign as the super-middleweight champion was abruptly ended as Sulaiman confirmed the stripping of his green and gold belt over the outstanding fees. Crawford responded passionately, questioning the WBC’s authority and emphasizing the importance of The Ring belt over the WBC’s title.
In a separate development, Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are set to clash in a heavyweight match in Miami on December 19, which will be broadcast live on Netflix. The event can be accessed for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle, marking the lowest price for Sky TV.
Sulaiman condemned Crawford’s non-payment of the sanctioning fees as a disrespectful act, highlighting the WBC’s role in facilitating lucrative fights like Crawford-Canelo. Despite the setback, the WBC moved swiftly to organize a vacant title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli, with Mbilli holding the interim title and Sheeraz coming off a notable victory over Edgar Berlanga.
The WBC stressed the importance of upholding respect and honor in boxing and announced the vacancy of the championship title, signaling a new chapter in the super-middleweight division.
