Terence Crawford Vacates WBA Welterweight Title, Eimantas Stanionis elevated
Terence Crawford has vacated the last of his welterweight titles, with Eimantas Stanionis elevated to full WBA champion, the sanctioning body has announced.
Crawford (41-0-0 31 KO) became the undisputed welterweight world champion last July when he defeated Errol Spence Jr, adding his rival’s IBF, WBC, and WBA titles to his WBO belt. The victory made ‘Bud’ the first male fighter of the four-belt era to become undisputed in two divisions.
Since then, though, Crawford has gradually lost grip on the four belts. The IBF stripped the Nebraskan of its title in November for failing to fight mandatory challenger Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, who was subsequently promoted from interim to world champion.
The other three sanctioning bodies followed suit more recently in response to Crawford leaving 147lbs to compete at super-welterweight, where he defeated WBA title holder Israil Madrimov on August 3 to become a four-weight world champion.
The WBC acted first by awarding its world title to interim champion Mario Barrios before the WBO did the same with Brian Norman earlier this month.
Now the WBA has completed the same steps and announced the news in a short statement posted to its website.
“Terence Crawford decided to remain as champion in the super welterweight division of the World Boxing Association (WBA), and vacate his welterweight belt, according to what he formally communicated to the pioneer organization,” the statement read.
“The American sent a letter in which he informed his decision to keep the 154-pound belt and vacate the 147-pound belt, which will leave Lithuanian Eimantas Stanionis as the only welterweight champion.
“Crawford won the title last August 3 with his victory over Israil Madrimov, in Los Angeles, and at that time he was champion in two different divisions. Now he has decided that he will stay in super welter and continue his career in that category.
“The pioneer body received the communication and responded to Crawford with a letter signed by the director of the championships committee, Carlos Chavez, in which he acknowledged receipt and sent a wave of thanks and recognition.”
With the belts now fragmented and evenly shared across the division, the hope is now for unification fights to eventually crown a new undisputed champion. However, those plans have already hit several obstacles, with Ennis and Norman at a stand-off over contract negotiations.
According to Ennis’ promoter Eddie Hearn, three separate offers have been sent to Norman – the last worth around $1.5 million – but have all been rejected. While Norman has claimed the offer was accepted, Hearn insists that’s not the case, accusing the WBO champion of “cloud chasing” and not having the belief he can beat Ennis.
Hearn also revealed that as talks with Norman stalled, a separate offer had gone out to Stanionis, who also turned down the terms.
There is another potential short-term obstacle for Ennis as the IBF has ordered him to fight mandatory challenger Karen Chukhadzhian, despite Boots beating him in a shutout points win just last year. Hearn responded by accusing the IBF of “ruining boxing”.
