TLDR
- Terence Crawford was stripped of his WBC super middleweight title after refusing to pay a $300,000 sanctioning fee
- Crawford defeated Canelo Alvarez in September 2025 to become undisputed champion across three divisions
- He released a profanity-filled Instagram response criticizing WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and calling the fee unreasonable
- The WBC stated Crawford earned $50 million from the Canelo fight and reduced the fee to 0.6 percent of his purse
- The WBC ordered Hamzah Sheeraz to face Christian Mbilli for the vacant title
Terence Crawford lost his WBC super middleweight title weeks after winning it from Canelo Alvarez. The sanctioning body stripped Crawford of the belt following his refusal to pay required fees.
Crawford won the WBC title by defeating Alvarez in September 2025. The victory made him the first fighter in the four-belt era to become undisputed champion in three different weight divisions.
The dispute centers on a $300,000 sanctioning fee the WBC required Crawford to pay. The organization sent multiple communications to Crawford, his manager, and legal counsel about unpaid fees from two fights.
Crawford owes fees from his bout against Israil Madrimov and the Canelo Alvarez fight. The WBC says it received no response to any of its communications.
The 38-year-old boxer responded with a heated Instagram post directed at WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. Crawford questioned why the WBC charges more than other sanctioning bodies.
“What makes you so better than any other sanctioning body?” Crawford said in his post. He argued that other organizations accepted lower payments.
Crawford’s Response to Sanctioning Fees
Crawford expressed frustration about paying fees to carry a championship belt. He argued that fighters risk their lives in the ring while sanctioning bodies collect money.
“I’m the one that’s putting my life on the line, not you,” Crawford stated. He called the belt a trophy and questioned the value of paying for it.
The boxer also accused Sulaiman of being upset over Canelo’s loss. Crawford claimed the WBC president was rooting for the Mexican fighter.
Crawford ended his message by expressing preference for The Ring title. He said that title doesn’t require payment and represents boxing tradition.
WBC’s Position on the Fee Structure
The WBC defended its fee structure in an official statement. The organization said Crawford earned approximately $50 million for the Canelo fight.
The sanctioning body reduced its standard fee from 3 percent to 0.6 percent for Crawford’s bout. This brought the total fee to roughly $300,000.
The WBC stated that $225,000 of the fee would go to the José Sulaimán Boxers Fund. This fund provides humanitarian aid to fighters experiencing hardship.
The organization pointed to recent assistance provided to boxers like Iran Barkley. The fund has helped hundreds of fighters and their families worldwide.
Despite the reduced fee and fund allocation, Crawford maintained his position. Negotiations between the two parties did not result in payment.
Following the stripping of Crawford’s title, the WBC made immediate plans for the vacant championship. The organization ordered Hamzah Sheeraz to face Christian Mbilli, who holds the interim title.
The winner will then be matched with Lester Martinez. Martinez fought Mbilli to a draw on the same night Crawford defeated Canelo.
Crawford retains his WBA, IBF, WBO, and Ring magazine titles at super middleweight. The loss of the WBC belt ends his brief time as undisputed champion in the division.
