Terence Crawford has criticized WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman after losing his WBC super-middleweight title. Crawford achieved the undisputed 168lb champion status with a significant win over Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas, making him the first male fighter in recent history to hold undisputed titles in three weight classes. However, Sulaiman recently announced that Crawford has been stripped of his title due to unpaid sanctioning fees.
In response to the decision, Crawford expressed his frustration during an Instagram live session, questioning the WBC’s actions and highlighting his refusal to pay the fees. He emphasized the significance of The Ring belt over the WBC belt and criticized the financial burden placed on fighters for sanctioning bodies’ expenses.
Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are set to clash in a heavyweight fight in Miami on December 19, with the event streaming live on Netflix. The fight can be accessed for free through Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle, which is being promoted as the lowest price for Sky TV.
Sulaiman defended the WBC’s actions, describing Crawford’s non-payment as a disrespectful act despite the organization’s efforts to facilitate lucrative fights like Crawford-Canelo. Following Crawford’s dethronement, the WBC has arranged a vacant title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Christian Mbilli. Mbilli, who won the interim title earlier, will face Sheeraz, who last fought in July and is known for his knockout victory over Edgar Berlanga.