Terence Crawford has criticized WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman after losing his WBC super-middleweight title. Crawford achieved the undisputed 168lb champion title by defeating Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas, making history as the first male fighter in the modern era with undisputed titles in three weight divisions.
However, Crawford’s reign as the undisputed super-middleweight champion was abruptly ended when Sulaiman announced the stripping of his green and gold belt due to unpaid sanctioning fees. Crawford expressed his frustration, highlighting Sulaiman’s claims of outstanding fees totaling $300,000 and lack of apology during an Instagram live session.
In contrast, Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are set to compete in a heavyweight match in Miami on December 19, which will be broadcast live on Netflix. Fans can access the fight for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle, the lowest price offered by Sky for their TV services.
Crawford vehemently rejected the WBC’s decision, questioning the organization’s superiority over others and emphasizing the significance of The Ring belt. He criticized the financial burden placed on fighters for sanctioning body expenses, highlighting the disparity between their sacrifices and the luxuries enjoyed by officials.
Sulaiman responded by calling Crawford’s refusal to pay the fees a significant disrespect, citing the WBC’s role in orchestrating lucrative fights like Crawford-Canelo. Despite the conflict, the WBC emphasized that boxing is a collective effort involving various entities and individuals, announcing the vacant championship title following Crawford’s dethronement.
The governing body promptly scheduled a title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli to fill the vacant position. Mbilli, who secured the interim title with a knockout victory over Maciej Sulecki, will face Sheeraz, a British fighter known for his last win against Edgar Berlanga in July.
