The World Boxing Council has officially crowned a new super middleweight champion. Christian Mbilli, previously the WBC interim titleholder, has been elevated to full champion following the sanctioning body’s decision to strip Terence Crawford of the belt he won against Canelo Alvarez.
The announcement was made Tuesday during the WBC’s weekly Martes de Cafe press conference in Mexico City. According to the WBC, Crawford was stripped after failing to honor a payment agreement tied to the championship. Crawford formally announced his retirement from boxing last month, effectively closing the door on any potential resolution.
Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) last appeared in September on the undercard of Canelo vs. Crawford, retaining his interim title via a split draw against Lester Martinez. The bout produced mixed reactions and left the interim title situation unresolved at the time, but Crawford’s removal cleared the path for Mbilli’s elevation.
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The WBC had previously explored a potential matchup between Mbilli and England’s Hamzah Sheeraz for the vacant full title. That plan has now been scrapped, with the sanctioning body canceling its request for the fight to move forward. Sheeraz is instead expected to pursue a different championship route and has been linked to a bout with Diego Pacheco for the vacant WBO super middleweight title.
With Mbilli now recognized as the undisputed WBC champion, attention turns to his first title defense. The prevailing expectation within the boxing community is a rematch with Martinez, given the unresolved nature of their September draw. However, as of now, no bout has been officially announced and no date has been set.
Mbilli’s elevation marks a significant shift in the super middleweight landscape, closing the chapter on Crawford’s brief reign and placing the WBC belt firmly in the hands of one of the division’s most aggressive and consistent contenders.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
