Just a few months after his stunning victory over Canelo Alvarez to claim the undisputed super middleweight championship, Terrence Crawford has lost his undisputed status. In September, Crawford made headlines by decisively beating Alvarez over 12 rounds to secure the title, marking the first time in over seven years that Alvarez was defeated in a title bout—highlighting the significance of Crawford’s achievement.
However, shortly after this landmark win, Crawford was surprisingly stripped of his WBC super middleweight belt because of unpaid fines. It appears that neither Crawford nor his promoter paid the WBC the mandated percentage of Crawford’s earnings from the Alvarez fight. As a result, the WBC sanctioned a match for the vacant title featuring Hamza Silas and Christian Mbili, with Lester Martinez designated as the mandatory challenger. Mbili had previously been linked to a potential bout with Alvarez but that fight never took place.
Looking ahead, it’s uncertain who Crawford will face next or if he’ll wait for the outcome of the Silas vs. Mbili fight to challenge the winner for the undisputed title. Though a rematch with Alvarez was tentatively planned for 2026, those plans now seem uncertain. Meanwhile, Crawford may be setting his sights on a middleweight title shot, aiming to become the first boxer to be undisputed champion in four different weight classes.
Fan Take: This development is huge for fight fans as it shakes up the super middleweight division and leaves the question of Crawford’s next move wide open. It also underscores the business complexities behind boxing titles that can impact even the biggest champions, adding drama to what promises to be an exciting future for the sport.
