Jose Armando Resendiz has been crowned WBA super middleweight champion in the wake of Terence Crawford’s retirement.
The Mexican boxer picked up the interim strap in May with an upset win over Caleb Plant.
3
Resendiz is the new WBA super middleweight championCredit: Getty
Resendiz (16-2) opened up as a sizeable 11/1 underdog with the bookies, but overcame the former IBF 168lbs champion via split decision in a high octane display.
Uzbekistan’s Bektemir Melikuziev has been boosted to the No.1 spot in the WBA rankings.
And while a mandatory fight between the pair could be ordered, Resendiz is currently locked into negotiations with Edgar Berlanga.
The Puerto Rican is currently ranked No.12 by the WBA and has lost two of his last three fights.
READ MORE ON BOXING Slap yourself’ – Terence Crawford tears into WBC in expletive rant after world title stripped
In September 2024, he dropped a lopsided unanimous decision to Canelo Alvarez before rebounding with a one-round blowout of the unheralded Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz.
Berlanga was then dispatched in five rounds by Hamzah Sheeraz last July in a performance hardly worthy of a world title shot.
What happened to Terence Crawford’s other super middleweight titles?
Resendiz becomes the latest boxer to benefit from Crawford’s undisputed titles fragmenting.
The IBF has ordered heavy-handed Cuban Osleys Iglesias and Canelo to duke it out for their version of the super middleweight world title.
The WBC has called for a fight between Christian Mbilli and Sheeraz for the green and gold strap.
Meanwhile, Sheeraz has also been offered a vacant world title shot against Diego Pacheco by the WBO.
3
Crawford has now been stripped of all four of his super middleweight world titlesCredit: Getty
Whilst the IBF, WBO and WBA’s decision to strip Crawford of their respective world titles came after he hung up his gloves on December 16, ‘Bud’ lost his recognition as WBC champion two weeks prior for not coughing up sanctioning fees for his lucrative clash with Canelo.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman declared that Crawford failed to hand over $300,000 – 0.6 per cent of his $50million purse.
Sulaiman branded Crawford’s actions “a slap in the face” of the WBC.
“The WBC was instrumental in making Crawford-Canelo,” said Sulaiman.
“For making an event with multi-million dollars at stake.
“For both fighters’ life-changing money for their families and their next generations.
3
Crawford announced his retirement in DecemberCredit: Getty
“We did many things, that ring that made news all over the world, made statues… just to receive a slap in the face, it is sad.
“But the WBC and boxing is about everyone. Boxing is about any organisation, any promoter, any fighter.
“As long as we honour and we respect, we will go on.
Read More on talkSPORT
“And then the next champion will be as good or better than the champion that had it.
“The championship is now vacant.”