Canelo Alvarez can regain WBC championship, Crawford attacks Mauricio Sulaiman

The controversy surrounds the World Boxing Council (WBC) after it decided to strip Terence Crawford of his super middleweight belt for defeating Canelo Alvarez last September.

The organization chaired by Mauricio Sulaiman explained that Crawford (42-0) did not pay the corresponding fees for his last two fights despite several attempts to communicate with him without receiving a response, so he was stripped of the belt for non-compliance.

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Saul Alvarez can regain his world championship

“The WBC sent multiple communications to champion Crawford, his manager and his legal counsel. Unfortunately, the WBC did not receive acknowledgment or response to any of those communications. The WBC had no choice but to act, considering that champion Crawford had been given ample notice and multiple opportunities to address and resolve the situation,” the WBC said in a statement on Wednesday, December 3.

And with his title vacant, the WBC has Saul Alvarez (63-3-2) at the top of the list of contenders, as he is the best ranked in the division, but he must request it, as there are two before him who would dispute it: Christian Mbili (29-0-1) and Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1).

“He (Canelo) had surgery, that’s why he was not touched. He is number one and will be ready for when he notifies us that he is in a position to return to fight. He has the doors open and a direct fight for the championship if he so requests,” Sulaiman explained.

Terence Crawford responds to Sulaiman

Faced with the WBC’s decision, Crawford responds to Mauricio Sulaiman and questions him for asking more than other organizations do for fees.

“Who the hell do you think I am? You better slap yourself. I’m not going to pay you. What are you talking about? What makes you f***ing better than the other organizations? The WBA, the WBO and the IBF accepted what I gave them… but you didn’t. You, the WBC, think you’re better than everyone else, don’t you?

And then he says I supposedly made 50 million in the fight with Alvarez. You don’t know how much I made. Again, you’re speculating. So listen, Mauricio: I appreciate you, because everybody knows you were going with Canelo. You were upset because I beat Canelo. It’s okay, those things happen. If you were a true fan of the sport, you would have said ‘congratulations’ instead of putting that little smile on your face, all angry and pouting. You should have taken the money and you should have been grateful that I was carrying your belt as your champion, the WBC champion, the undisputed champion

Then you, the WBC and your damn green belt that means nothing. The real belt is the Ring’s, and that’s free. You can keep your damn belt. It’s just a trophy anyway. Why do I have to pay you every time I step into the ring? It doesn’t make sense. I’m the one risking my life in there, not you. You should be paying me to carry your belt, to be honest,” The Bud said in an Instagram live stream.

Terence Crawford Claps Back at WBC For Stripping Him of World Title

It did not take long for Terence Crawford to clap back at the WBC for stripping him of their world championship belt that he won just a matter of months ago for beating Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in boxing.

In September, Crawford pulled off one of the most impressive performances of his entire career as he jumped multiple weight classes to beat Canelo in the Mexican’s own weight class, wresting all the major super middleweight world titles from his waist, and leaving the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as the sport’s pound-for-pound No.1-ranked fighter.

There has been great speculation as to what’s next for ‘Bud’, whether that’s a rematch against Canelo in the 168-pound division, a drop to middleweight to take on one of the champions there to become a six-weight ruler like Oscar de la Hoya, or even a crossover type fight against the likes of UFC superstar Ilia Topuria.

But shortly after besting Canelo, the WBC removed Crawford’s status as a champion. And now Crawford has responded.

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As earlier Wednesday, the WBC said, through its president Mauricio Sulaiman, that it stripped Crawford of the title over an apparent failure to pay sanctioning fees for his last two fights. The fees totalled $300,000 following the Canelo win, just for that one sanctioning body.

Crawford responded within hours during a live stream on social media. “Him saying I’m not paying him $300,000 plus another $100k or something for sanctioning fees, right. Then he tells me I haven’t even apologized, like, who the f*** you think I am? You better slap your f****** self.”

He continued: “What makes you better than any of the other sanctioning bodies? Answer that question. What makes you better than the WBO, IBF, or the WBA. Everybody accepted what I was giving them, but you think you’re better than everybody.”

Crawford Diminishes The WBC’s Relevence

Crawford then diminished the relevance of sanctioning bodies in boxing in the modern era, suggesting that the real champion in the fight game is the one who wears The Ring belt. Boxing financier Turki Alalshikh bought The Ring from Oscar de la Hoya and, though it’s traditionally been a media publication, under Alalshikh’s stewardship through COO Rick Reeno, it’s become more than that, and a combat sports promotion in and of itself.

“The real belt is The Ring belt,” Crawford said, “which is free.”

“So why should I have to pay carry your belt? You should be paying me!”

Terence Crawford, the undisputed super middleweight champ, is demanding a $100 million purse to grant Canelo Alvarez a rematch.

In September, Crawford moved up two weight classes from 154 lbs to 168 lbs to defeat Canelo by a dominant unanimous decision. The victory made Bud the first male boxer in history to achieve undisputed status across three different weight classes, solidifying his claim as the pound-for-pound best in the world.

Despite the decisive nature of the first contest, reports indicated that Canelo wants a second shot at Crawford. While negotiations are reportedly underway, the dynamics have changed. Canelo’s purse for the first fight was approximately $150 million, while Crawford’s was significantly lower, allegedly in the region of $50 million. Now, Crawford holds all the leverage. One of Crawford’s trainers, Bernie Tha Boxer, says the figure is $100 million for a rematch.

READ: Why Canelo Alvarez Chases Terence Crawford Rematch With No

“Let me say this one last time, if they don’t give him $100 million, it ain’t happening. Them is Crawford’s words,” Bernie Tha Boxer

Does Bud Deserve It?

The most powerful argument for Crawford’s demand is the massive financial disparity of the initial bout. By demanding $100 million for the rematch, Crawford is simply seeking a figure that reflects his newly acquired status as the winner and the new undisputed champion. This demand serves to rebalance the scales.

Canelo’s entire motivation for the rematch is to reclaim his undisputed status and restore his legacy, which was tarnished by the decisive loss. Crawford now holds the asset Canelo needs. In the business of boxing, the person who holds the power is justified in setting the price for the challenger who desperately wants it back. The $100 million is the price for Canelo to get his legacy back.

Canelo Chases Crawford Rematch With No Other Options

Canelo Alvarez’s decision to take on Terence Crawford in a rematch in 2026 is one of necessity. The Mexican star has no other options but to try and avenge his loss to the soon-to-be 39-year-old Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs.

As Chris Mannix mentions, Canelo (63-3-2, 39 KOs) lacks options at super middleweight against notable fighters. Crawford is better known than the top fighters at 168 lb.

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“Crawford, his people have told me they’ve offered Canelo the rematch a couple of times in the last few months,” said Chris Mannix on his channel. “He [Canelo] is looking for a Terence Crawford rematch next year. He’s probably talking about September 2026.

“This is the first time that we’ve heard Canelo say publicly that he wants a rematch with [Crawford].” The payday that Canelo will get fighting Crawford again would draw if he were to fight anyone else, aside from David Benavidez.

“This one stings,” said Sergio Mora about Canelo losing to an older, smaller Crawford. “Bud Crawford isn’t bigger, stronger, or younger.

He just lost to a fighter that he shouldn’t have lost against for all the belts. That he needs to get back.” Alvarez could have turned down the Crawford fight. It would have saved himself the humiliation of losing to a smaller, older fighter..

It would have been better for him to have agreed to face David Benavidez. At least if Canelo lost to Benavidez, he wouldn’t look as bad due to his being smaller and older. “Maybe the injuries held him back in training camp.

Because it was a great performance on Bud’s part, I want to see if he can do it again. I want to see if Canelo can find another way to beat this man.” It wasn’t the injuries that caused Canelo to gas out after eight rounds.

That was his cardio, which has been a problem for him for years. A rematch won’t be any different. For Alvarez to win, he’s got to build up a wide enough lead in the first seven rounds so that Crawford can’t come on late to steal a decision.

“Canelo has nowhere to go. He’s in the twilight of his career, and he’s already cleaned out everyone relevant at 168,” said Mannix.

Money-wise, Canelo’s best payday besides a fight against David Benavidez would be against Crawford in a rematch. He hasn’t “cleaned out” the 168-lb division.

Several fighters would have an excellent chance of beating him, but they’re not as popular as Crawford. He wasn’t popular until Turki Alalshikh started putting him in the main events on his cards.

Canelo has no choice but to try to avenge his loss to Crawford. It looks bad on his part that he didn’t push for the rematch immediately after losing last September.

Canelo Alvarez Reaches New Career Low Two Months After Terence Crawford Loss

Canelo Alvarez’s loss to Terence Crawford has slowly ripped his career apart batthe seams.

While the 35-year-old continues to insist that he is not retired and remains one of the biggest stars in the sport, his third career loss leaves him without a championship belt for the first time since 2015. It has also dramatically dropped the former pound-for-pound king down the prestigious list.

Canelo drops out of top 10 P4P rankings

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The Ring Magazine’s recent pound-for-pound rankings update left Alvarez out of the top 10, marking the first time that has happened since 2018.

‘The Ring’ noted that Alvarez only dropped from the rankings in 2018 due to a positive PED test, making his latest fall the first time since his rise that he has been excluded solely due to his performance.

Alvarez dropped several spots immediately after the loss, but he has continued to tumble as other fighters collect monumental victories. He was removed from the top 10 after Devin Haney re-entered the list following his dominant decision win over Brian Norman Jr. on Saturday.

Crawford became the consensus pound-for-pound king after beating Alvarez and remains at No. 1. Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk held firm at No. 2, with Naoya Inoue remaining at No. 3.

Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez came in at No. 4 following his win over Fernando Martinez. Dmitry Bivol, Artur Beterbiev, Junto Nakatani, Shakur Stevenson, David Benavidez and Haney rounded out the top 10.

Although several entities create their own polls, fans pour a lot of stock into ‘The Ring’s pound-for-pound rankings. Alvarez is still in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings, clinging to the No. 10 slot, as of Nov. 15.

Canelo Alvarez’s 2026 plans Empty heading

Alvarez has not said much publicly since the Crawford loss, but he has made it clear that he will continue fighting. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh confirmed this notion by saying Canelo would return in a big fight in early 2026.

Rumors have suggested that Alvarez will rematch Crawford, who has given retirement more thought since their fight. Crawford is now the undisputed super middleweight champion and could, in theory, defend those titles against an oncoming challenger, but is clearly more interested in the biggest possible matchups at this point in his career.

Alvarez also continues to get called out by WBC light heavyweight champion David Benavidez. A return to 175 pounds could be in store, with Canelo also expressing interest in a rematch with Bivol, who handed him his second career loss in 2022.

Canelo Alvarez reveals return plan as he eyes stunning Terence Crawford rematch with talks underway

Canelo Alvarez has now suggested he wants a shot at revenge against Terence Crawford in 2026.

The Mexican was comprehensively outclassed in his huge showdown with Crawford in September, which saw him dethroned as undisputed super-middleweight champion.

It was a crossroads for the Mexican superstar who is now facing a new challenge, getting back on track after a seven-year streak of holding a title.

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Initially, it appeared that the pair would move on from their rivalry given the largely one-sided nature of the first clash.

But now Alvarez has bravely suggested he is ready for redemption in 2026.

That is according to Mexican outlet TV Azteca, who declared preliminary talks were already being held.

They wrote: “Before the end of 2025, Canelo Alvarez was on a visit to TV Azteca in his home and talked about the plans for the next year, where he will embark on different sports projects.

“In addition, he reiterated that his priority above the ring is the rematch against Terence Crawford, who is already negotiating, and wants to accommodate the place.”

It will be an uphill battle for Alvarez if he is to turn around the momentum and become the first fighter to beat Crawford.

Alvarez was also linked with a UK showdown with Chris Eubank Jr, but the Briton was beaten by Conor Benn in their rematch and it appears Crawford is one of his only options.

What is next for Terence Crawford and will he fight Canelo again?

As for Crawford, he has yet to commit his next move and has not commented publicly on a sequel with Alvarez.

Immediately after his victory, Crawford teased both retirement and a move to 160lbs.

Since then, Crawford has indicated he is indeed open to making new history in the new weight class.

And he suggested his most likely return option could well be against unified middleweight world champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, who he is open to facing in March.

Can Canelo beat Crawford?

On viewing the maiden clash, Alvarez will need to show drastic improvement and put in a career-best display to better Crawford.

But his worrying admission after the clash makes it an even harder task to pick the Mexican if the pair touch gloves again.

He said: “We knew Crawford is a great fighter. I did what I was supposed to do I tried every way.

“I tried very hard. He deserves all the credit. I tried my best.

“I just couldn’t figure out his style. He has everything.”

Alvarez has completed it all in boxing, but is expected to complete his four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh before considering retirement.

And a new shot at Crawford could well be one last hoorah at leaving the sport on top.

Canelo Alvarez‘s career suffered a major setback in September when he lost to Terence Crawford in their super-middleweight encounter.

Entering their contest as the undisputed champion at 168lbs, many felt that Canelo’s physical advantages would prove too significant for his naturally smaller opponent to cope with.

As it turned out though, Crawford produced one of his career-best performances to outfox and often frustrate the Mexican through large spells of their showdown.

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It soon became clear that ‘Bud’ was not only in possession of the more calculated strategy, but also had the right temperament and technical advantages to put his gameplan into action.

It came as no surprise when Crawford was announced as the unanimous decision winner and in turn cemented his legacy by becoming a three-division undisputed champion.

That achievement is remarkable in itself, but even more impressive was the optics of a 38-year-old, seemingly coming towards the end of his career, being able to clinically dismantle his much bigger rival.

It would appear that there is not so much a particular attribute for Crawford, but rather a well-rounded approach, that almost makes him the full package. That much, at least, was expressed by Canelo during their post-fight press conference. When asked why he fell short on the night, Canelo simply put it down to not being able to figure out his opponent’s style.

“We knew Crawford is a great fighter. I did what I was supposed to do I tried every way.

I tried very hard. He deserves all the credit. I tried my best. I just couldn’t figure out his style.

He has everything.”

Crawford’s skills could be about to be put to the test again, with a potential move down to middleweight on the cards as he sets his sights on one man in particular.