Terence Crawford Vacates WBA Welterweight Belt; Eimantas Stanionis Elevated To Full Titleholder

Terence Crawford has concluded his RING and undisputed welterweight championship reign.

The last piece of the puzzle—the WBA belt—has been relinquished by the four-division titlist. Crawford (41-0, 31 knockouts) contacted the sanctioning body in writing to express his commitment to his current WBA 154-pound title reign.

“Terence Crawford decided to remain as champion in the super welterweight division… and vacate his welterweight belt,” the WBA confirmed. “[Crawford] sent a letter in which he informed his decision.”

Eimantas Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOs) was elevated to full WBA welterweight titlist as a result. The unbeaten Lithunian held the WBA ‘Regular’ title since April 2022, though he only made one defense.

Crawford did not defend the WBA, WBC or IBF belts he lifted from Errol Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) last July 29 in Las Vegas. Nor did he put his RING welterweight championship at stake in the 13 months since he filled the void.

The latest title relinquishment comes less than three weeks after he vacated the WBO belt. Crawford held that title since June 2018 and made seven successful defenses. However, he informed the WBO on Aug. 12 of his decision to end his lengthy reign.

Brian Norman (26-0, 20 KOs) was subsequently upgraded to full from interim WBO titleholder. The unbeaten 23-year-old from Conyers, Georgia landed the status just three months after his May 18 highlight reel tenth-round knockout of Giovanni Santillan in San Diego.

Instead, he will remain put as WBA junior middleweight titlist. The Ring’s No. 3-rated pound-for-pound fighter dethroned then-unbeaten Israil Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOs) on Aug. 3 in Los Angeles. He also collected the interim WBO 154-pound title and is the mandatory challenger to the WBC title.

Their bout headlined the U.S. debut of the Riyadh Season boxing series headed by Turki Alalshikh. Crawford and Alalshikh were bullish on securing a superfight with RING/unified super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs). However, the sanctioning bodies have other plans.

As previously reported by The Ring, the WBO ordered a title consolidation bout between Crawford and full titlist Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs). The order puts Crawford’s dual WBO/WBC status at risk—Fundora holds the full version of both belts. The WBO previously ordered that Fundora-Crawford must take place before the end of 2024.

Fundora is tentatively slated to headline a Dec. 14 Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Prime Pay-Per-View event. Most rumors have Fundora next facing Spence. However, PBC and Sampson Boxing are cognizant of the WBO order and will allow proper resolution before his next opponent is confirmed.

The uncertainty of Crawford’s future at 154 pales in comparison to the absolute end of his days at welterweight. He was downgraded as WBC titlist to ‘Champion in Recess’ in late May. Mario Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) was upgraded three weeks later to full titlist, having previously held the interim version.

Crawford was stripped of the IBF title last fall for failure to honor an ordered title consolidation bout versus Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (32-0, 29 KOs). The ruling came when Crawford informed the sanctioning body that he was contractually bound to a Spence rematch.

That fight never took place, nor has Crawford returned to welterweight. He was relieved as RING champion after his win over Madrimov and decision to fight at 154 and above.

Ennis was elevated to full titleholder and recently defeated David Avanesyan (30-5-1, 18 KOs) to defend the belt. However, he is now pressed with the scenario of either vacating the belt or entertaining an undesirable rematch with mandatory challenger Karen Chukhadzhian (24-2, 13 KOs).

Such a move will be par for the course in the current state of the welterweight division. Crawford spent five years in pursuit of a career-defining win at the weight. He found it—and full unification—in the form of his wipeout of Spence.

One year later, the division is as fractured as it’s ever been.

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