Terence Crawford has strongly criticized WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman after losing his WBC super-middleweight title. Crawford achieved the undisputed 168lb championship with a historic win over Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas, making him the first male fighter in the modern era to hold undisputed titles in three weight divisions.
However, Crawford’s reign as the undisputed super-middleweight champion was abruptly ended by Sulaiman due to unpaid sanctioning fees. Crawford expressed his frustration, stating that Sulaiman accused him of not paying over $300,000 in fees and not apologizing.
In a separate development, Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are set to clash in a heavyweight fight in Miami on December 19. The fight will be broadcast live on Netflix, available for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle.
Crawford further lashed out at Sulaiman, questioning the WBC’s authority and criticizing the financial burden placed on fighters for the organization’s expenses. Sulaiman, on the other hand, described Crawford’s refusal to pay as a disrespectful act, highlighting the WBC’s role in organizing lucrative fights like Crawford-Canelo.
Following Crawford’s removal, the WBC swiftly arranged a vacant title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli. Mbilli, who previously held the interim title, will face Sheeraz, a British fighter coming off a notable victory over Edgar Berlanga.
The WBC emphasized the importance of respect in boxing and announced the championship vacancy, ensuring that the next champion will uphold the organization’s values.