NextFin news, Terence Crawford, the undisputed super middleweight champion, was officially stripped of his WBA light middleweight title on Sunday, September 21, 2025, just eight days after his landmark victory over Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas on September 13, 2025.
Crawford, 37, had secured a unanimous decision win against Alvarez, capturing all the super middleweight belts and becoming the undisputed champion. Prior to this, he held the WBA light middleweight title after defeating Israil Madrimov in August 2024.
The World Boxing Association (WBA) announced the stripping of Crawford's 154-pound title after he confirmed he would not return to the light middleweight division to defend the belt. Consequently, the WBA elevated their interim titleholder, Abass Baraou, to full world champion status.
Abass Baraou, a German boxer with a 17-1 record, earned the interim title by defeating Yoenis Tellez in August 2025, scoring a knockdown in the final seconds to secure a unanimous decision victory with scores of 116-111, 115-112, and 117-110.
The promotion of Baraou was confirmed by his promoter, Wasserman Boxing, via social media, stating: "Abass Baraou is full world champion. Seat at the top table confirmed for AB, who would you like to see him fight next?"
Following his victory over Alvarez, Crawford has not announced any immediate plans for future fights. Speculation about his retirement has been fueled by his own cryptic remarks during a post-fight interview with analyst Max Kellerman, where he said, "I don't know. I gotta sit down with my team and we'll talk about it." His trainer, Brian McIntyre, however, expressed confidence that Crawford would fight again.
The stripping of Crawford's title and Baraou's promotion mark a significant shift in the light middleweight division, setting the stage for new championship matchups in the coming months.
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