Terence Crawford (right) is interviewed by DAZN’s Chris Mannix following his Aug. 3 victory over Israil Madrimov to win the WBA 154-pound title. Photo credit: Matchroom Boxing
Terence Crawford has completed his RING and Undisputed Welterweight Championship reign.
The final piece of the puzzle – the WBA belt – was relinquished by the four-division title roster. Crawford (41-0, 31 knockouts) contacted the sanctioning body in writing to express his commitment to his current WBA 154-pound title.
“Terence Crawford has decided to remain champion in the super welterweight division … and vacate his welterweight belt,” the WBA confirmed. “(Crawford) sent a letter informing of his decision.”
Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) was consequently promoted to full WBA welterweight title list. The unbeaten Litauer has held the WBA ‘Regular’ title since April 2022, although he has only made one defence.
Crawford did not defend the WBA, WBC or IBF belts he lifted from Errol Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) last July 29 in Las Vegas. He also hasn’t put his RING welterweight championship on the line in the 13 months since he filled the void.
The latest title relinquishment comes less than three weeks after he vacated the WBO belt. Crawford has held this title since June 2018 and made seven successful defences. However, he has the WBO on August 12 of his decision to end his long reign.
Brian Norman (26-0, 20 KOs) was subsequently upgraded from interim WBO titleholder to full. The undefeated 23-year-old from Conyers, Georgia, earned the status just three months after his May 18 tenth-round knockout of Giovanni Santillan in San Diego.
Instead, he will remain as WBA junior middleweight titleholder. The Ring’s No. 3-rated pound-for-pound fighter dethroned then-undefeated Israil Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOs) on Aug. 3 in Los Angeles. He also collected the interim WBO 154-pound title and is the mandatory challenger for the WBC title.
Their match led to the American debut of the Riyadh Season boxing series led by Turki Alalshikh. Crawford and Alalshikh were positive to secure a superfight with RING/unified super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs). However, the sanctioning bodies have other plans.
As previously reported by The Ring, the WBO has a title consolidation fight between Crawford and full titleholder Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs). The order puts Crawford’s dual WBO/WBC status in jeopardy—Fundora holds the full version of both belts. The WBO previously ordered Fundora-Crawford to take place before the end of 2024.
Fundora is tentatively scheduled for a December 14 Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Prime Pay-Per-View event. Most rumors have Fundora facing Spence next. However, PBC and Sampson Boxing are aware of the WBO order and will allow proper resolution before confirming his next opponent.
The uncertainty of Crawford’s future at 154 pales in comparison to the absolute end of his days at welterweight. He was downgraded WBC title to ‘Champion in Recess’ at the end of May. Mario Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) was upgraded to full title three weeks laterhaving previously held the interim version.
Crawford was stripped of the IBF title last fall for failing to honor a scheduled title consolidation bout against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (32-0, 29 KOs). The ruling came as Crawford informed the sanctioning body that he was contractually bound to a Spence rematch.
That fight never took place, nor did Crawford return to welterweight. He was relieved as RING champion after his win over Madrimov and decided to fight at 154 and up.
Ennis was elevated to full titleholder and recently defeated David Avanesyan (30-5-1, 18 KOs) to defend the belt. However, he is now faced with the scenario of either vacating the belt or having an unwanted rematch with mandatory challenger Karen Chukhadzhian (24-2, 13 KOs).
Such a move would be par for the course in the current state of the welterweight division. Crawford spent five years chasing a career-defining victory at the weight. He found it—and full unification—in the form of his extermination of Spence.
One year later, the division was as broken as it had ever been.
