WBC super middleweight champ stripped of title over sanctioning fees

Boxer Terence Crawford has been stripped of his WBC super middleweight title for failing to pay the organization’s sanctioning fees.

The WBC said it reached out to Crawford and his representatives but was forced to take action when it did not receive any response.

Crawford (42-0, 31 KO) won the undisputed super middleweight title on Sept. 13 with a unanimous decision over Canelo Alvarez. The WBC said it gave him a discount on his sanctioning fees from 3% to 0.6% of the reported $50 million he earned from the Alvarez fight, but it never received any payment.

The WBC’s decision clears the way for British contender Hamzah Sheeraz (22-1, 18 KO) to fight Canada’s Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KO) for the now-vacant super middleweight title.