Legendary fighter-turned-promoter Oscar De La Hoya has some choice words for American duo Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson.
‘Bud’ Crawford drew the curtain on his accomplished professional career back in December, just several months on from his historic victory over Canelo Alvarez where he became the undisputed super-middleweight champion.
The 38-year-old from Omaha says he made the decision to retired based on the fact that he had nothing left to prove after winning world titles in five weight classes, including the undisputed championship in three divisions.
As for Stevenson, the Newark-native will have his sights set on reaching the heights that Crawford reached during his tenure. The 28-year-old recently became a world champion in a fourth division when he outpointed countryman Teofimo Lopez in New York City last month.
As well as pound-for-pound status, the friends have another thing in common – being stripped by the WBC.
‘Bud’ Crawford saw his WBC super-middleweight crown taken in December when the sanctioning body said he had failed to pay sanctioned fees for a number of fights.
Then, Stevenson’s WBC world lightweight title was announced as vacant earlier this month, with the issue stemming from him not paying a sanctioning fee for his fight with Lopez, which was for the latter’s WBO super-lightweight belt and did not have any WBC strap on the line.
Speaking to Seconds Out and other media, Oscar De La Hoya strongly criticised fighters that refused to pay sanctioning fees. Despite not naming either Stevenson or Crawford, it is quite clear those men are what prompted both question and response.
“The thing that people need to understand, is that when we pay sanctioning fees, they’re not going into anybody’s pocket. They’re going into these programs to help other kids who have cancer, who have some kind of illness, all over the world. We’re not just talking about Los Angeles or New York, we’re talking about globally. And that takes funding, and it’s funding from the fighters, to the President of the WBC, to all the organisers.
“It takes an army to help people out. So, when you’re not paying sanctioning fees, guess what? You’re doing an unjust to anybody that needs help. That’s the bottom line because the WBC does care. I know that first hand … And I’m very passionate about this because what pisses me off is that, and I’m not saying every fighter is, but these fighters are starting to talk. A handful, not all of them, a handful. ‘Well don’t pay your sanctioning fees’, what are you talking about? Those sanctioning fees are to carry the sport.
“Those sanctioning fees are to help. That’s all it is, is to help. To make sure that you have medicals. What happens to you. What happens to you if something happens in the fight and there’s no ambulance outside? Well, guess what? Because you didn’t pay your sanctioning fees. No, you have to make sure that we do pay the sanctioning fees because so much good is happening around the world because of those sanctioning fees.
“You know what, when a fighter has a name or this and that and it says ‘Oh I don’t have to pay sanctioning fees’, well guess what? Shame on you, shame on you … Shame on him [Stevenson]. Shame on him because he knows that as a kid all he dreamt about was fighting for the green belt, okay? And it’s not about just ‘Oh I’m gonna pay sanctioning fees’ No, you’re gonna pay for kids medicals. You’re gonna pay for the doctors outside who are gonna take care of you. You’re gonna pay for all these programs that are continuing to help the sport. So if you don’t wanna pay the sanctioning fees, shame on you.”
