NextFin news, On Sunday, September 21, 2025, Terence Crawford was officially stripped of his 154lb world boxing title by the World Boxing Association (WBA) after he confirmed he does not intend to return to the division to defend his belt.
The announcement came just eight days after Crawford's unanimous decision victory over Canelo Alvarez on September 13, 2025, a fight that elevated Crawford to undisputed super middleweight champion status.
Following Crawford's decision, the WBA promoted their interim titleholder, Abass Baraou, to full world champion. Baraou, a German boxer with a 17-1 record, earned the interim title by defeating Yoenis Tellez in August 2025, scoring a knockdown late in the fight to secure a unanimous decision victory with scores of 116-111, 115-112, and 117-110.
Baraou's promoter, Wasserman Boxing, confirmed the promotion on 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?"
Terence Crawford, 37, who had held the WBA light middleweight title since August 2024 after defeating Israil Madrimov, has not announced his future plans but has hinted at possible retirement. In a post-fight interview with Max Kellerman, Crawford said, "I don't know. I gotta sit down with my team and we'll talk about it." His trainer, Brian McIntyre, expressed confidence that Crawford would fight again, though the boxer himself has remained silent on the matter.
The stripping of Crawford's title and Baraou's elevation marks a significant development in the 154lb boxing division, reshaping the championship landscape less than two weeks after one of the year's biggest fights.
Source: Bloody Elbow, September 22, 2025
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