Terence Crawford Stripped Of Super Middleweight Belt As Vacant Title Fight Announced

Terence Crawford had one of the most impressive performances of 2025, as he was able to dethrone undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.

Taking place in September, the blockbuster fight between Crawford and Alvarez was streamed live on Netflix, as 'Bud' ascended two weight classes to take on the Mexican boxing legend.

The win made Crawford the undisputed champion at 168 pounds and fully unified a third weight class. However, Crawford can no longer call himself an undisputed world champion.

Terence Crawford Stripped Of WBC World Super Middleweight Title

Terence Crawford speaks to media on September 13, 2025. | IMAGO / Hoganphotos

It was confirmed on December 3, 2025, that Crawford had been formally stripped of his WBC World Super Middleweight title. 'Bud' lost his belt as a result of not paying sanctioning fees for his last two fights.

These bouts include his September win over Alvarez, as well as his 2024 meeting with Israil Madrimov.

Bout for vacant title confirmed

As a result of Crawford being stripped of the title, a bout for the vacant belt has been confirmed. The WBC board voted that a fight between interim super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli and Hamzah Sheeraz is the next step for the title.

There is currently no official date for the bout between Mbilli and Sheeraz.

Frenchman Mbilli last fought on the undercard of Crawford vs Alvarez, where he fought Lester Martinez to a draw. The result meant that Mbilli retained his interim title, with his record standing at 29-0-1.

As for Sheeraz, the English fighter is coming off an impressive fifth-round knockout over former Alvarez opponent Edgar Berlanga. The win improved the 26-year-old's record to 22-0-1.

MORE: Terence Crawford's Purse For Canelo Alvarez Fight Revealed By WBC

Although Crawford is considered one of the pound-for-pound best fighters on the planet, it appears as if he will not get an immediate opportunity to reclaim his undisputed crown.

As well as confirming that Mbilli and Sheeraz will compete for the vacant title, the WBC confirmed that Lester Martinez (19-0-1) is considered the number one contender of the division.

It is currently unclear as to where Crawford's future lies. There had been rumors that the American would face the winner of Erislandy Lara vs Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, which was scheduled for December 6 in a middleweight title unification bout.

However, a positive drug test from Alimkhanuly has ruled him out of the bout, as Lara will now take on Johan Gonzalez to defend his WBA World Middleweight title. This means there will be no title unfication at middleweight this weekend.

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