Just nine days after shaking up the sport with his victory over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Terence Crawford has already been forced to give up one of his belts. The WBA announced that Crawford has been stripped of his super welterweight championship, clearing the way for Germany’s Abass Baraou to be recognized as the new full champion.
Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) stunned fans on Sept. 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, defeating Canelo by unanimous decision on Netflix to capture the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight titles. The Nebraska native moved up in weight for the mega-event and afterward confirmed he had no plans to drop back down. That decision ultimately cost him his WBA strap at 154 pounds.
Abass Baraou Elevated to Champion
The WBA promoted interim titleholder Abass Baraou (17-1, 9 KOs) to full champion status following Crawford’s move. Baraou earned his interim belt with a clear win over Yoenis Tellez in Orlando last August, even scoring a knockdown with just 10 seconds remaining to lock up a unanimous decision (116-111, 115-112, 117-110).
His promoter, Wasserman Boxing, celebrated the upgrade in a social media post:
“Abass Baraou is full world champion. Seat at the top table confirmed for AB, who would you like to see him fight next?”
Baraou’s first title defense has yet to be finalized, though names like Conor Benn and Josh Kelly are already being mentioned for a potential showdown.
With the Canelo win behind him, Crawford’s next steps are uncertain. Beyond a potential — but unwanted — rematch with Canelo, there’s no obvious challenger waiting. Some voices in the sport believe it may be the perfect time to walk away.
Fellow star Shakur Stevenson has publicly urged Crawford to retire while on top. When asked about the idea in a post-fight interview with Max Kellerman, Crawford didn’t dismiss it outright:
“I don’t know,” Crawford replied. “I gotta sit down with my team and we’ll talk about it.”
Since then, his trainer Brian “Bomac” McIntyre has reassured fans that Crawford likely isn’t done yet, saying he expects to see his fighter step back into the ring again.
Crawford’s recent win over Alvarez has only added to his legacy, but losing the WBA belt underscores the cost of moving up in weight and staying there. While his next fight remains up in the air — and retirement is at least a possibility — one thing is certain: “Bud” still holds three other super middleweight titles and sits at the pinnacle of the sport.
Meanwhile, Baraou has his golden opportunity as WBA champion, with his upcoming defense set to determine whether he can seize the spotlight Crawford just left behind.
