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 would not return to defend the belt. This decision came just eight days after Crawford's unanimous decision victory over Canelo Alvarez on September 13, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The WBA elevated their interim titleholder, Abass Baraou, to full world champion status. Baraou, a German boxer with a professional record of 17 wins and 1 loss, earned the interim title by defeating Yoenis Tellez in August 2025. Baraou secured a knockdown with 10 seconds remaining in the fight and won by unanimous decision with scores of 116-111, 115-112, and 117-110.
The promotion of Baraou to full champion was confirmed by his promoter, Wasserman Boxing, through a social media statement that read: “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 publicly committed to any future fights in the division. Following his win over Alvarez, Crawford was asked about retirement during a post-fight interview with analyst Max Kellerman. He responded, “I don’t know. I gotta sit down with my team and we’ll talk about it.”
Crawford’s trainer, Brian McIntyre, has expressed confidence that Crawford will fight again, but the boxer himself has remained silent on his future plans. Meanwhile, many in the boxing community, including fellow fighter Shakur Stevenson, have advised Crawford to retire while at the top of his career.
The stripping of Crawford’s title and Baraou’s promotion mark a significant shift in the 154lb division, setting the stage for new championship matchups. As of October 8, 2025, no official next opponent has been announced for Baraou.
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