Andre Ward slams ‘ridiculous’ decision to strip Shakur Stevenson of world title in angry rant

Andre Ward has hit out at the WBC for their decision to strip Shakur Stevenson of his lightweight world title in a passionate rant.

The governing body announced they would be forcing the unbeaten American to vacate after he won the WBO’s 140lbs title.

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Stevenson moved up in weight to successfully challenge Teofimo Lopez for his belt last weekend.

However, he was only briefly a simultaneous two-weight world champion.

The WBC have now stripped the 28-year-old of his title, leaving the belt vacant.

It is a move which has enraged former unified super-middleweight and light-heavyweight world champion Ward.

Those titles include the WBC super-middleweight belt, which Ward won via a unanimous decision victory over Carl Froch in 2011.

Ward slams WBC

The Olympic gold medallist launched a furious response to the WBC’s decision following the news.

Ward told talkSPORT: “It’s absolutely ridiculous. I don’t respect it. I don’t agree with it.

“For Mauricio Sulaiman [WBC president] to say things like, ‘The reason you were able to sell the Madison Square Garden fight at that level is because you have the WBC belt,’ is absolutely crazy.

“There is a place for a younger fighter, possibly winning his first WBC belt and his stature goes up, but it’s not because he has the green belt.

“The last time I checked, there’s also a WBA, IBF and WBO sanctioning body, and there’s Ring Magazine.

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“I just think Mauricio Sulaiman is tone deaf about what’s going on and he just doesn’t understand the shake-up with fighters and things are changing.

“Fighters are looking at their contracts and this fine print and they’re not only looking at the small print, but they’re making stands.

“Terence Crawford made a stand. Shakur Stevenson made a stand, and they are literally richer because of it, but they are starting a trend.

“I’ve also had my fair share of issues with the WBC — I’ve had to make public stands against them, because we’re not just fighters in the ring, we’re fighters in life.

“When we feel like we’re getting pressed, especially unjustly, we’re gonna stand for it.

“I just don’t think it’s going to end well for the WBC and what they’re trying to do.”

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Stevenson, who now holds a 25-0 professional record, had held the WBC’s 135lbs title since 2023.

During his reign as champion, he made three title defences, including a technical knockout victory over Josh Padley a year ago.

Meanwhile, the WBC have now been left with a vacant belt less than a month after Jadier Herrera won the interim title.

The Cuban fighter stopped Ricardo Nunez in Germany on January 10.