Crawford’s IFAB title is threatened by Iglesias’ Cuban mandate

Iglesias called out undisputed super middleweight champion Terence Crawford and former king of the division, Canelo Alvarez, this week on social media.

Crawford’s new problem: a hungry, empowered Cuban

“I’m ready for Canelo and Crawford! Come here!” Iglesias told Osley on X, calling out Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez.

Undefeated IBF mandatory Iglesias (14-0, 13 KOs) wants to get his title shot against the new champion, Crawford, and if not him, Canelo. Last month, Iglesias, the IBO 168-pound champion, knocked out Vladimir Chechikin in the eighth round at the IBF tournament in Montreal, Canada.

Osley’s victory over Cuban South made him the new mandatory for the title which Crawford now holds. He has not said what he plans to do, but it is likely that FIFA will soon order him to begin his defense against Iglesias.

It is understood that the highly-rated Iglesias wants his mandatory title shot at the belt which Crawford, 38, now holds. He did not mention his desire to defend them against top contenders at super middleweight. Who can blame him?

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– Osleys Iglesias Estrada (@OsleysIglesias) October 7, 2025

Crawford surrounded by Sharks at 168

With younger, stronger and hungrier contenders like Cubans Owsley Iglesias and Christian Mbele vying for Crawford’s neck, Why does he want to confront them? What Crawford should do is vacate his IBF belt, along with his other three, at super middleweight if he has no intention of defending them against contenders.

These two Sharks will feast on the aging Crawford, who looked his age once he dropped a narrow 12-round unanimous decision over Alvarez last September. They both seemed like shells of their former selves. Southpaw Iglesias’ one-punch power, long reach, and vicious right hook would be fatal for the 38-year-old Crawford if he dared fight him.

It is believed that Bud may choose to move up to 160 to try to capture one or more titles and become a six-division world champion. If he does, the AIBA and other sanctioning bodies will have to start stripping Crawford of his super middleweight belts one by one.

Bud Strategy: Retaining the titles to lure Canelo back?

Crawford’s likely rationale for holding the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO titles at 168 is to use them as bait to lure Canelo back for a rematch. The Omaha, Nebraska, native earned a whopping $50 million purse in his fight against Canelo on September 13.

Terence wouldn’t make that kind of money fighting anyone other than David Benavidez, who has already said he has no interest in fighting. If Canelo doesn’t participate in the rematch, which it doesn’t look like he will, Crawford will have to defend against Osley Iglesias Pronto. He can’t sit on the IBF belt with others like he did with the WBA 154-pound title, which he recently vacated after not defending it for 13 months.

Crawford’s (42-0, 31 KO) IBF title must be defended at 168, as there never It has been a mandatory defense of the belt since Canelo earned the belt against Caleb Plant on November 6, 2021. The IBF title has changed hands twice in the past four years, without any mandatory defenses.

Canelo made four successful defenses of the IBF belt before being stripped of the title in July 2024 for failing to defend it against William Skull. The IBF then elevated Skull to the new champion, and he subsequently lost the title to Alvarez earlier this year on May 3. Canelo’s defense of his IBF belt against Crawford on September 13 was voluntary.