Shakur Stevenson is no longer the WBC lightweight champion, as the sanctioning body stripped him of the title just four days after he secured the WBO junior welterweight championship by defeating Teofimo Lopez. The WBC declared the lightweight title vacant on Wednesday, noting that Stevenson had held the WBC lightweight belt since November 2023 after besting Edwin de los Santos. The organization explained that since Stevenson is now the WBO Super Lightweight World Champion, in accordance with their rules, the lightweight title had to be vacated. They also expressed well wishes for Stevenson’s success both inside and outside the ring and promised to announce details on selecting a new lightweight champion soon.
Before moving up to win the WBO 140-pound belt, Stevenson had successfully defended his WBC lightweight title three times. However, Stevenson reacted strongly to the WBC’s decision, suggesting they stripped him of the belt because he refused to pay a $100,000 sanctioning fee for the Lopez fight. He accused the WBC of corruption, saying, “To a fraudster who doesn’t deserve ($100,000)? The WBC had nothing to do with this fight, but the WBC is eating them alive. Take the belt, that’s no good for me.” He also referenced the WBC’s similar stripping of Terrence Crawford’s super-middleweight title in December, hinting at ongoing conflicts between the sanctioning body and fighters. Stevenson questioned why he was being asked to pay again, saying, “I just paid these guys after the last fight. What the hell am I giving you 100,000 for now? You guys got your beef with ‘Bud’, so come get it?”
Fan Take:
This development highlights the ongoing tensions between fighters and sanctioning bodies, underscoring the politics that often impact boxing beyond the ring. For fight fans, it raises questions about the legitimacy and management of titles and could signal more power struggles that shape the careers of top fighters and the future landscape of the sport.
