The WBC stripped Terence Crawford of his world title for refusing to pay sanctioning fees, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said. Crawford responded angrily, telling Sulaiman, “Boy, you better slap your f***ing self.” The dispute arose during the WBC convention in Bangkok this week, casting a shadow over Crawford’s historic win over Canelo Alvarez.
Historic Victory Overshadowed
Crawford became the first three-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era, moving two divisions above his previous limit. He held all four belts only 81 days before losing the WBC strap. Sanctioning bodies typically demand about 3 percent of a fighter’s purse, though the WBC reduced Crawford’s fee to 0.6 percent for the Canelo fight. Sulaiman said most of that money, $225,000 of $300,000, would have supported the Boxers Fund charity.
Clash Over Principles and Prestige
Crawford argued he earned the title through risk, not by paying fees, calling the WBC green belt meaningless. Sulaiman defended the fee and denied overcharging, calling the situation “unfortunate” and accusing Crawford of spreading misinformation. The WBC reclaimed the belt, but Crawford maintains The Ring title represents the “real” championship. The super-middleweight title now goes to Hamzah Sheeraz or interim champion Christian Mbilli, while Lester Martinez awaits the winner. Opinions differ on whether Crawford acted heroically or denied charity funding.
