Terence Crawford now only holds the WBA super welterweight title after he relinquished his WBO interim title as his September 13th fight against Canelo Alvarez draws closer. To further legitimize the upcoming bout between the two pound-for-pound fighters, the WBO has further decided to announce Crawford as the WBO mandatory at super middleweight ― a decision that ensures Crawford will get a shot against Alvarez in case of the unexpected.
WBA super welterweight (154 lbs) champion Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KO’s) was already expected to vacate the WBO interim title he won alongside his WBA belt ― after defeating then-incumbent WBA champion Israil Madrimov last year.
After relinquishing his mandatory spot at 154 lbs in March, Crawford’s continuous links with Canelo Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KO’s) finally bore fruit as the two were announced to be fighting in September more than a month later. With Alvarez now set to defend his four super middleweight (168 lbs) belts against Crawford as the undisputed champion, the WBO’s latest decision to make Crawford a mandatory at 168 pounds reaffirms his position as Alvarez’ #1 title challenger.
Construed as a decision made because of Crawford’s achievements in the sport, that has led him to becoming a “WBO super champion” which affords him extra privileges as opposed to a normal WBO world champion, the WBO has further clarified why Crawford was able to receive this distinction over other, and arguably more deserving, contenders in the 168-pound division:
“The [Championship] Committee explicitly emphasizes that this ruling is an exceptional and extraordinary determination, rendered in light of Terence Crawford’s unique professional merits, institutional standing, and historic achievements,” The WBO’s clarification states.
“It shall not serve as a precedent for future rankings or Mandatory Challenger designations. The WBO remains steadfast in upholding the integrity of its ratings and championship processes, and every future determination will continue to be adjudicated based solely on its own merits and facts under the applicable Regulations.“
According to the WBO, Crawford’s team initiated the decision to vacate the 154 lbs WBO interim title in order to secure him a position as both the #1 WBO 168 lbs and mandatory contender. Though a bout between Crawford and Alvarez is already set in motion for September 13, the mandatory position will allow Crawford to maintain his challenge towards Alvarez in case of untimely incidents that forces the card’s postponement or cancellation, such as injuries.
#3-rated American contender Diego Pacheco was previously the #1 contender but has been forced to cede a position to Terence Crawford and current #2-rated Hamzah Sheeraz [also the current WBC 168 lbs mandatory challenger] following the WBO’s latest update of their rankings.
Though the sanctioning body’s decision appears fairly symbolic in nature given the already-arranged bout between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez, their recent move draws parallels to their recent decision to allow Amanda Serrano to retain her WBO title at featherweight despite her absence for over a year from the division.
