In a significant shift within the super middleweight division, the World Boxing Council (WBC) has crowned Christian Mbilli as its new world champion. This development follows the organization’s decision to strip Terence Crawford of his title prior to his retirement from the sport.
Crawford’s fallout with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman became public knowledge last year, culminating in the revocation of his title due to unpaid sanctioning fees. This action effectively ended Crawford’s reign as the undisputed champion, a status he had secured with a remarkable victory over Canelo Alvarez in September. Shortly after this career-defining win, Crawford announced his retirement and subsequently relinquished his remaining WBA, WBO, and IBF titles.
The Omaha native did not mince words when addressing the situation, expressing his dissatisfaction with the WBC’s demands. “I ain’t paying you,” Crawford stated, questioning the WBC’s perceived superiority over other sanctioning bodies. He further criticized the organization’s expectation of higher fees, asserting that the WBC considered itself above others in the boxing world.
With Crawford’s departure, the boxing landscape has seen a flurry of activity. The WBA swiftly elevated Jose Resendiz from interim to full champion. The WBO has ordered a bout between Hamzah Sheeraz and Diego Pacheco for their vacant title, while the IBF has mandated a fight between top contender Osleys Iglesias and Pavel Silyagin after several boxers, including Canelo Alvarez, declined the opportunity.
The WBC’s decision to promote Christian Mbilli to full champion status marks a new chapter for the division. Mbilli, who previously held the interim title, secured his position with a first-round knockout of Maciej Sulecki in June. He then successfully defended his interim title with a split decision victory over Lester Martinez on the undercard of Crawford’s fight against Canelo.
At 30 years old, Mbilli’s first title defense is yet to be announced, but speculation abounds. He could potentially face Canelo Alvarez, the current number one contender, who is set to return to the ring in Riyadh on September 12. Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has hinted at a world title clash for Alvarez, adding an air of anticipation to the upcoming event.
“September 12, big, big, big fight,” Alalshikh proclaimed in a recent video. “This will be the first card for Canelo Promotions. It will be named Mexico vs the world. All the fighters from team Canelo against the world. And the champion [Canelo] in the main event in [a] world title [fight] and it will be a surprise in Saudi Arabia.”
As the boxing world awaits further developments, Christian Mbilli stands poised to make his mark as the new WBC super middleweight champion, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.
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