WBC Strips Shakur Stevenson's Title
The WBC stripped Shakur Stevenson of his lightweight title due to an unpaid $120,000 sanctioning fee. The administrative decision removes one of boxing's rising stars from championship status over what appears to be a financial dispute with the sanctioning body.
- The decision came just four days after Shakur Stevenson became a four-division champion by defeating Teofimo Lopez for the WBO and Ring Magazine junior welterweight titles. - While the WBC cited a rule against holding titles in multiple weight classes from different sanctioning bodies, Stevenson claims the stripping was retaliation for refusing to pay a $100,000 fee for the Lopez fight, in which the WBC had no involvement. - Stevenson publicly called the sanctioning body "crooks" and stated he would rather give the money to his daughter. - This incident mirrors a recent dispute between the WBC and Stevenson's mentor, Terence Crawford, who was stripped of his super middleweight title in December 2025 after refusing to pay a $300,000 sanctioning fee. - Stevenson's co-manager, Josh Dubin, has argued that the WBC violated its own rules by not giving Stevenson a 15-day window to decide which division's title he would keep. - With the lightweight title now vacant, the WBC's top-ranked contender is William Zepeda, who could face interim champion Jadier Herrera to crown a new champion. - Stevenson is expected to continue campaigning at junior welterweight, where he holds the WBO title. However, the WBO has installed his close friend, Keyshawn Davis, as the mandatory challenger, a fighter Stevenson has stated he will never face.
