Terence Crawford has been installed as the WBO’s number-one contender at super middleweight after vacating their lightly regarded interim junior-middleweight title in preparation for his fight with the undisputed champion at 168lbs, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
He last fought in August 2024 when he and Israil Madrimov of Uzbekistan contested the WBO interim title at 154lbs, since when the full title had been defended by Sebastian Fundora in victory over Chordale Booker before being vacated. On Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Xander Zayas of Puerto Rico and Jorge Garcia Perez, also of Mexico, fight for it instead.
Regardless of the reality that the reputation of the 37-year-old Crawford and Alvarez’s status as the world’s highest-profile fighter perhaps surpass the significance of the undisputed title, the WBO has elected to install Crawford as their leading contender at the expense of Diego Pacheco, Hamzah Sheeraz and Jaime Munguia, all already established at 168lbs.
September’s fight will be Crawford’s first above 154lbs – a weight division in which he has only ever fought once – but the WBO’s gushing justification read: “While these are world-class rising contenders, Crawford’s professional achievements and historical stature stand alone at the highest level of the sport.”
In reference to the WBO interim title, it had previously read: “The committee unanimously allowed Crawford to retain the interim title pending finalisation of the Canelo bout, in deference to his extraordinary merits, historical accomplishments, and longstanding relationship with the WBO.”
The organisation also insisted that it had given “due consideration”.
Alvarez, 35, most recently fought in May, when earning a unanimous decision over the Cuban William Scull.
