Terence Crawford blasted by WBC after title stripping: “Not even a thank you”

Terence Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) is no longer the undisputed champion at super middleweight. The American has been stripped of the WBC belt he took from Canelo Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs), and it did not happen in the ring. The World Boxing Council removed Crawford as its titleholder after he failed to pay required sanctioning fees for his last two fights.

Why the WBC acted

“The WBC sent multiple communications to Champion Crawford, his manager, and his legal counsel. 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,” the organization said in a statement.

Crawford was stripped of the belt for failing to pay fees related to his win over Israil Madrimov (10-2-1, 7 KOs) in July of last year and the fight with Canelo.

The WBC, led by Mauricio Sulaiman, said it gave Crawford a significant discount for the Canelo fight, reducing his fee from 3 percent to 0.6 percent. Crawford earned about $50 million for that bout.

Crawford’s fee for Canelo fight

“Given the size of the event, the WBC modified its rules to cap Crawford’s fee at 0.6 percent and allocate 75 percent of it to the Jose Sulaiman Boxers Fund, administered by the Nevada Community Foundation,” the WBC noted.

“The Fund’s mission is to support boxers worldwide who need humanitarian assistance, helping hundreds of fighters and their families. That includes boxers like Iran Barkley, who is battling cancer, and the recently deceased Vanes Martirosyan.”

Sulaiman blasts Crawford over unpaid fees

Addressing the discount, Sulaiman called Crawford’s lack of gratitude “regrettable.” “Not even a ‘thank you’ or a ‘I’m sorry’," said the WBC president.

With Crawford out, the title will now be fought for by interim champion Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) and top contender Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs). Canelo, meanwhile, is still recovering from elbow surgery following their fight and is not expected back until mid-2026.

A broken relationship

Sulaiman has not held back in his criticism of Crawford. “He already forgot how he made 50 million. It is a complicated decision. We are withdrawing recognition of Crawford as world champion. It is the last thing an organization wants to do. The Council has been in Crawford’s corner for many years and he has benefited in many ways,” he said at the WBC’s 63rd Annual Convention in Bangkok.

Crawford has been a world champion in five divisions and an undisputed champion in three of them. “This is the opposite of what we have seen from him daily. Passion, dedication, loyalty, love for the green and gold. He has decided not to respect that and it is his decision. We wish him success and good luck. He no longer needs the Council. May God bless him and may he do very well. Hopefully he does not lose his mind, lose his money or fall into what we have seen so many times in boxing history,” Sulaiman added.

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