Boxing
Crawford still worried about WBC fees months after leaving
But boxing is not based on individual preferences. The structure is now ready.
Sanctioning authorities charge fees. Masters pay them. That’s the trade-off when it comes to keeping the belt, whether the fighters like it or not. If you want to challenge it, it’s usually before you enter the system, not after you’ve already become familiar with what’s involved.
Crawford didn’t do that for the WBC. He negotiated with and paid the three sanctioning authorities. The WBC refused to change its terms and he chose not to meet them. At the same time, he fought for the belt, posed with it and added it to his undisputed status before the holidays.
If he truly viewed the pay as “extortion,” the consistent move would have been to deny him the belt before the fight. By first taking title and then calling the fees unfair, it creates the impression that “principle” only became a priority when it was actually time to part with the cash.
Crawford admittedly planned to relinquish his titles regardless of the fee structure. He used the WBC belt to consolidate his historic position as the undisputed champion of two weight classes. Now he portrays his planned departure as a heroic defiance of a system he willingly exploited for his own legacy.
The most glaring part of this situation is the timing. Crawford didn’t just “accidentally” win the WBC belt. He aimed specifically to achieve undisputed status at 168 pounds.
By winning the belt against Canelo in September 2025, he became the first undisputed three-division champion in the four-belt era. It’s a huge, lasting addition to his legacy that the WBC has helped make.
The WBC actually reduced his pay for this fight from the standard 3% to 0.6%. Given his $50 million purse, that was a $300,000 note.
When he calls it “extortion” now, it sounds less like sticking to the rules and more like a denial from the past. He used the WBC platform to create stories, but when the invoice arrived for a service he was already using, he suddenly discovered that the system was “broken.”
“Beyond that, I’m like, man, I’ve already left them,” Crawford told Travis Hartman.
His plan to leave the club is a “smoking gun.” If he already knew he was leaving the division and would retire shortly thereafter, the belts were essentially rented out.
This puts the dispute in a different lithe. Conditions have not changed. His decision has already been made.
He didn’t lose his titles because of an unexpected change in rules or a sudden change in policy. Calling it “upholding” implies that he was fighting to change the rules, but his actions suggest that he had just finished that chapter and had no desire to pay the bill on his way out the door.
What stands out now is that he’s still talking about it months later. The fight is over. The stripes are gone. He walked away from all four titles and put himself in a position that would lead directly to a rematch with Canelo. However, the same point still appears, with the same edge. This is the part that doesn’t quite fit.
If the lane was already marked clear and the outcome was known in advance, the dispute was not a surprise. Still, he decided to go through with it. So where does this frustration come from now?
Crawford will recognize that he is not giving up. But from the outside it may look like he entered the system, accepted it where it suited him, rejected it where it didn’t work, and kept coming back to that one element that didn’t go his way.
Boxing
Mike Tyson is nearing the end of his career at the age of 60 after Mayweather’s snubs and injuries
Alan “Veneno” Chaves (22-0, 19 KO) defeated Miguel “Explosivo” Madueno (31-5, 28 KO) in the third round to win the WBO Latino lightweight title in the co-main event at Fontainebleau Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Chaves started the action early and found success with pointed shots once the fight started. The finish came when he landed a crushing left hand that dropped Madueno tough. Referee Harvey Dock waved it off at 1:26 of the third round. The power Chaves showed today makes him a threat to anyone at 135 or 140.
Damian Sosa annoys Freudis Rojas Jr.
Damian Sosa (27-3, 13 KO) defeated previously undefeated Freudis Rojas Jr. after 10 rounds by unanimous decision. (15-1, 11 KO) in the junior middleweight fight by 96-93 points. Sosa applied constant pressure early on, forcing Rojas to fight at a pace he was never comfortable with. He knocked down Rojas in the sixth round and maintained control with constant striking and excellent timing. Rojas had his moments, but Sosa’s experience and engine made the difference.
Nishant Dev stops Juan Carlos Guerra Jr.
Junior middleweight Nishant Dev (6-0, 4 KO) defeated Juan Carlos Guerra Jr. (6-3-1, 2 KO) in the second round of the scheduled eight-round fight. Dev came out pointed and aggressive, taking command with true combinations. He knocked down Guerra in the second round and kept the pressure going until the referee stopped it at the end of the session. The victory would give Dev another quick end and he could continue his early professional career.
Angel Barrientes passes Luis Espinoza
Featherweight Angel Barrientes (15-1, 9 KO) won an eight-round unanimous decision over Luis Espinoza (10-2, 4 KO) by three points, 80-72. Barrientes controlled the fight with spotless boxing and energetic attacking from the first bell. He beat Espinoza multiple times and gave little in return. Espinoza stayed on the pitch throughout the match, but Barrientes was in control throughout the match.
Click here to sign up for our FREE newsletter
Related boxing news:
Last updated: 25/04/2026 at 22:43
Mike Tyson is nearing the end of his career at the age of 60 after Mayweather’s snubs and injuries
Naoya Inoue Offered Another Super Fight If He Beats Nakatani: ‘I’m Ready Anytime’
Francis Ngannou PREDICTS Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: “If I Had To Bet…”
-
Opinions & Features1 year agoPacquiao vs marquez competition: History of violence
-
MMA1 year agoDmitry Menshikov statement in the February fight
-
Results1 year agoStephen Fulton Jr. becomes world champion in two weight by means of a decision
-
Results1 year agoKeyshawn Davis Ko’s Berinchyk, when Xander Zayas moves to 21-0
-
Video1 year agoFrank Warren on Derek Chisora vs Otto Wallin – ‘I THOUGHT OTTO WOULD GIVE DEREK PROBLEMS!’
-
Analysis1 year agoRobert Garcia discusses the debate on the greatest Mexican warrior in history
-
Video1 year ago‘DEREK CHISORA RETIRE TONIGHT!’ – Anthony Yarde PLEADS for retirement after WALLIN
-
Results1 year agoLive: Catterall vs Barboza results and results card