Israil Madrimov vs. Terence Terence Crawford is 32 days ahead from August 3rd in their headliner on August 3rd at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
The 36-year-old Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) is bulking up for this fight, putting on weight, as he’s moving from 147 to 154, and taking on arguably the biggest puncher in the division, Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) for his WBA junior middleweight title.
Israil Madrimov is the size of Canelo Alvarez but with more power, technical skills, and maneuverability. Hence, the nickname, ‘Little GGG.’
It’s a nightmarish first fight for Crawford to take on Madrimov at his age, nearing 37, fighting in a new weight class after a 1+ year layoff. Crawford is ambitious, but I don’t think he came up with this idea to fight Madrimov.
A Golden Retirement Payday for Crawford?
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh wanted this fight, so Crawford went along with it, knowing the money would be good and necessary to get the golden retirement payday against Canelo Alvarez in the first quarter of 2025.
It’s a dangerous fight for Crawford, and he must be at his best to defeat Madrimov. As good as Crawford was in his last fight against Errol Spence on July 29, 2023, he’s not likely to be at that level for this one because of the long 13-month layoff, weight gain, and fighting in a new division against a naturally bigger, stronger and considerably younger 29-year-old Madrimov.
Implications for a Canelo Fight
If Crawford’s fight against Madrimov doesn’t work out, Turki Alalshikh’s plans for the fight between Terence and Canelo next year are unclear.
It would still be a good fight between Canelo and Crawford, but it would look odd to the boxing public if Terence backed into it on a losing note. Obviously, with the cash that Crawford will make fighting Canelo, he won’t turn it down and stand on his principles of wanting to avenge a loss to Madrimov.
The Uzbekistan-born Madrimov bears an uncanny resemblance to former middleweight champion Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin, and he has power similar to his. Where Madrimov is different is in his mobility and the angles in his game.
Madrimov outmaneuvers his opponents and hits them, crushing power to score knockouts. Again, it will be tough for Crawford, and you’ve got to give him credit for agreeing to face Madrimov rather than vetoing the idea.
