Terence Crawford, the American boxing star who recently dethroned Canelo Alvarez to become undisputed champion at 168 pounds, has seen his reign come to an abrupt end after a dispute over unpaid sanctioning fees left him stripped of the World Boxing Council (WBC) super-middleweight world title.
The decision, made by the WBC on Wednesday, removes Crawford from the title and sets Britain's Hamzah Sheeraz up for a chance at the vacant belt. The 26-year-old from Ilford had already proven himself to be a formidable force in the division, knocking out Edgar Berlanga at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens just months prior.
Crawford's situation reflects a broader issue within boxing, where sanctioning bodies charge fighters fees to compete for their belts. The WBC claims it lowered the fee for Crawford's fight against Alvarez from 3% to 0.6% due to his reported $50 million purse and intended to send most of that money to a charity fund supporting retired fighters.
However, the American reportedly failed to respond to communication regarding these payments, prompting the WBC president, Mauricio Sulaimán, to describe it as "a slap in the face." It remains unclear whether Crawford's missed payments were a deliberate choice or simply due to other priorities.
Meanwhile, Sheeraz is now poised to face Christian Mbilli, the current WBC interim champion, for the vacant title. The high-pressure fighter brings significant advantages over his opponent, with a 6½-inch height and 3-inch reach advantage that could prove decisive in their upcoming bout.
Sheeraz's backroom politics aside, his next fight against Mbilli will be a highly anticipated clash between two skilled fighters vying for the top prize.
The decision, made by the WBC on Wednesday, removes Crawford from the title and sets Britain's Hamzah Sheeraz up for a chance at the vacant belt. The 26-year-old from Ilford had already proven himself to be a formidable force in the division, knocking out Edgar Berlanga at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens just months prior.
Crawford's situation reflects a broader issue within boxing, where sanctioning bodies charge fighters fees to compete for their belts. The WBC claims it lowered the fee for Crawford's fight against Alvarez from 3% to 0.6% due to his reported $50 million purse and intended to send most of that money to a charity fund supporting retired fighters.
However, the American reportedly failed to respond to communication regarding these payments, prompting the WBC president, Mauricio Sulaimán, to describe it as "a slap in the face." It remains unclear whether Crawford's missed payments were a deliberate choice or simply due to other priorities.
Meanwhile, Sheeraz is now poised to face Christian Mbilli, the current WBC interim champion, for the vacant title. The high-pressure fighter brings significant advantages over his opponent, with a 6½-inch height and 3-inch reach advantage that could prove decisive in their upcoming bout.
Sheeraz's backroom politics aside, his next fight against Mbilli will be a highly anticipated clash between two skilled fighters vying for the top prize.
just think about how much money these sanctioning fees are adding up to be... like, Terence Crawford made 50 million and the WBC gets like 1-2% of that? 
it's no wonder some fighters don't wanna pay up. meanwhile hamzah sheeraz is getting a shot at the title just 'cause he's hungry enough 
i got no love for whoever decided on this sanctioning fee system, but hey, it seems to be working so far. will be interesting to see how this all plays out 
. He was on fire in the boxing scene and just got taken away from us. The way it went down is kinda shady though 
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. He's got some serious skills and height advantage over Christian Mbilli 
. I'm hyped to see how this one plays out 
. Maybe we'll get to see a new champ emerge? 
Fingers crossed! 
you're supposed to be about the boxing not just about who can collect fees the most 
terence crawford was robbed of his title and now he's paying the price because of some sanctioning fee drama 
but wbc you gotta do better than this 
Terence Crawford is being stripped of the WBC title over unpaid sanctioning fees?! Like what even is going on?! 
I'm literally so confused. I mean, I know he's got a big purse and all, but 50 million dollars? That's like, crazy! 
And now Hamzah Sheeraz gets to step in for the vacant belt? I'm low-key rooting for him now lol. 
Can't wait to see what happens next!! 
I mean, Terence Crawford's got this one on himself, you know? Stripped of the title and all that drama... but let's be real, he was on notice after that 50 million dollar purse 
. And now Hamzah Sheeraz gets a shot at the belt! That kid's got skills 
and who knows, maybe this is his big break? The boxing world's all about those high-pressure fights, so Christian Mbilli better come correct 
... but either way, it's gonna be an epic battle! Can't wait to see what happens next 
I feel bad for him, but at the same time I dont blame the WBC either 
They were trying to be fair and send some money to charity, but I guess it didnt sit well with Crawford's team 
Anyway, Hamzah Sheeraz is gonna be a total powerhouse in that ring 
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. These guys are supposed to be protecting their sport, not making it easier for Canelo and Crawford to just waltz in with huge purses and expect everyone else to foot the bill 
. I mean, we all know what really happens when you get involved in that side of boxing - it's a money pit 
this boxing thing is crazy! Crawford was like on top of the world and now it's all over him because of some sanctioning fees 
boxing is so crazy right now interesting 
he was on top of the world and now it feels like everything came crashing down 
boxing is such a brutal sport, you gotta be prepared to take the good with the bad 
and btw, Christian Mbilli is looking fierce 
? I just drew a simple flowchart to show how it goes: sanctioning fee → fighter pays 
→ WBC takes 3-5% 
. It's not rocket science, but it seems like the sanctioning bodies are making it up as they go along 
. I mean, the guy's been training and fighting his whole life for this moment, and then it gets taken away from him because of some paperwork 
. And what's with the WBC being so strict about these fees anyway? It's like they're more concerned with lining their own pockets than with promoting the sport 
.
and I just realized how hard it is to get the crust right... like, have you ever tried to get that perfect balance of crispy on the outside and soft on the inside? It's like, physics and chemistry all mixed in with some fancy math 
. Anyway, back to boxing... I'm actually kinda rooting for this new kid Sheeraz to take down Mbilli 
he was on fire and then this happened! i'm so proud of him tho for being such an amazing boxer 
but sanctions fees can be super frustrating, maybe they should just make it more clear how much fighters get kept