With Terence Crawford announcing retirement and vacating his three 168 lb. titles, the division is a clouded mess of rising stars and some unknown names on the biggest stage.
When Terence Crawford got his hand raised in September of 2025 at Allegiant Stadium after a brilliant 12 round performance and decision win over fellow hall of famer Canelo Alvarez, little did we know what a fractured "no name" mess the super middleweight division could become just months later.
First, Crawford has elected to retire (or so he says) and importantly, followed through with vacating the the WBA/IBF/WBO 168 lb. titles. He had already been stripped by the WBC for refusing to pay them sanctioning fees for his undisputed title win.
So, the four "world" titles must be sorted out and it's becoming clearer and clearer that it's a murky situation with the organizations trying fill the spots with fights and champs.
Take the IBF for instance.
It was learned earlier this week that Alvarez 63-3-2, 39 KOs, the former undisputed champ, has opted not to pursue a bout with unbeaten, top ranked, Cuban southpaw Osleys Iglesias 14-0, 13 KOs, for the vacant title, a move that came as little surprise. The 35 year old Alvarez is recovering from recent elbow surgery, and his longtime trainer and manager Eddy Reynoso has already indicated that the Mexican star will not return to the ring until the Fall.
Next in line in the IBF rankings is fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia 45-2, 35 KOs, who previously challenged Alvarez for the undisputed championship in May 2024 and lost by decision. Munguia has also declined the opportunity to face Iglesias. “He has other plans,” Camille Estephan of Eye of the Tiger Promotions, who represents Iglesias told insider Dan Rafael earlier this week. It's not clear on whom Munguia might be fighting, but it's not the Cuban for the vacant IBF belt. So, that search goes on.
As for the WBC, they had elevated, hard hitting, Cameroon-born Christian Mbilli of Canada, 29-0-1, 24 KOs, to "interim" champ (something they are known for). But, Mbilli fought a tough, controversial draw on the Crawford-Canelo undercard against Guatemalan Lester Martinez.
Watch the highlights of Mibilli-Martinez here:
Will those two rematch? Will the WBC make Mbilli fight someone else in their rankings to be elevated to full champion status? Stay tuned.
Meantime, the WBO wants to match top contenders, Mexican-American Diego Pachecho 25-0, 18 KOs, and Hamzah Sheeraz, 22-0-1, 18 KOs, of England potentially in February for their full title. It's a great prospective fight, but they have yet to formally agree.
And, as for the WBA and their always comical "super" vs. "regular" champions, they have elevated Mexican-American Jose Armando Resindiz, 16-2, 14 KOs, from "regular" to full champ after Crawford's vacating of their belt. Resindiz scored an upset decision over American Caleb Plant last May of 2025 and will now possibly fight Puerto Rican New Yorker Edgar Berlanga later this Winter. Berglanga was beaten by Alvarez in an undisputed shot and then demolished by Sheeraz by KO loss back in July. It's hardly a "must see" title fight.
So the list of of "sort of" and interim world champions is long for the four sanctioning bodies. Now, we'll see what sorts out in the first part of 2026, where unification fights among the unbeaten rising stars, would be intriguing.
Still, it's not anyone challenging Terence Crawford for part of or all the belts. And, that's a disappointment in the new year.