Terence Crawford has publicly criticized WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman following the revocation of his WBC super-middleweight title. Crawford, known as ‘Bud,’ achieved undisputed 168lb champion status by defeating Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas, becoming the first male fighter in recent history to hold undisputed titles in three weight classes. However, just months later, Sulaiman confirmed Crawford’s removal from his super-middleweight throne due to unpaid sanctioning fees.
Expressing his discontent, Crawford lashed out at Sulaiman for demanding $300,000 in unpaid fees and questioning his lack of apology during an Instagram live session. In a bold move, Crawford denounced the significance of the WBC green and gold belt, emphasizing that The Ring belt holds more value as it is free and symbolic.
Meanwhile, in the boxing world, Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are set to clash in a heavyweight match in Miami on December 19, which will be available for streaming on Netflix. Crawford’s rift with the WBC escalated as Sulaiman described the non-payment of fees as a disrespectful act, highlighting the WBC’s role in organizing lucrative fights like Crawford-Canelo.
Following Crawford’s dethronement, the WBC swiftly arranged a title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli to fill the vacant championship position. Mbilli, who secured the interim title with a knockout victory over Maciej Sulecki, will face Sheeraz, a British boxer known for his knockout win against Edgar Berlanga.
The boxing community is now on the lookout for the next champion to emerge, as the WBC moves forward after Crawford’s title dismissal.