Terence Crawford Slams WBC Decision, Backs Lester Martinez for Title

Boxing legend says M'Billi shouldn't be champion, calls for Martinez title shot

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:23am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting an abstract boxing match, with sharp planes of color representing the official team colors of the fighters involved in the title controversy.A fractured, cubist-inspired illustration captures the complex politics and competing claims surrounding the WBC super-middleweight title.Las Vegas Today

Retired boxing superstar Terence 'Bud' Crawford has stirred up controversy by publicly criticizing the WBC's decision to elevate Christian M'Billi as their new world champion. Instead, Crawford believes his fellow fighter Lester Martinez should be the one wearing the WBC title belt.

Why it matters

Crawford's comments shine a light on the complex politics and decision-making within boxing's sanctioning bodies. His stance raises questions about whether a fighter's personal choices, like refusing to pay a sanctioning fee, should automatically lead to a title being stripped and awarded to someone else, especially when a contender has already fought for the interim title.

The details

After an illustrious career that saw him become undisputed champion in three weight classes, Crawford announced his retirement in December 2025. In his final fight, he moved up to super-middleweight and defeated Canelo Alvarez to unify the WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF titles. However, the WBC later stripped Crawford of their belt, citing his refusal to pay the sanctioning fee for the Canelo fight. This past week, the WBC officially promoted interim champion Christian M'Billi to full world champion. But Crawford believes Lester Martinez, who fought M'Billi to a split decision draw in the interim title bout, should be the rightful champion.

  • In September 2025, Crawford defeated Canelo Alvarez to become the undisputed super-middleweight champion.
  • In December 2025, Crawford announced his retirement from boxing.
  • In early 2026, the WBC stripped Crawford of their super-middleweight title.
  • In April 2026, the WBC officially elevated Christian M'Billi to full world champion.

The players

Terence 'Bud' Crawford

A legendary boxer who held world titles in five different weight classes and was the undisputed champion in three of them. Crawford recently retired from the sport after a storied career.

Lester Martinez

A highly ranked contender who fought Christian M'Billi for the WBC interim super-middleweight title, resulting in a split decision draw.

Christian M'Billi

The boxer who was recently elevated by the WBC from interim champion to full world champion in the super-middleweight division.

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What they’re saying

“Give my bro Lester a title shot, because he should be champion right now.”

— Terence Crawford, Retired Boxer

What’s next

The WBC could potentially order a rematch between Lester Martinez and Christian M'Billi to determine the rightful champion, potentially fulfilling Crawford's wish.

The takeaway

Crawford's comments highlight the complex politics and decision-making within boxing's sanctioning bodies, raising questions about whether a fighter's personal choices should automatically lead to a title being stripped and awarded to someone else, especially when a contender has already fought for the interim title.