Turki Alalshikh revealed today that this Saturday’s Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov event was a complete sellout for this Saturday, August 3rd, at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Ticket sales had reportedly been slow for weeks, causing some fans to doubt whether Crawford’s star power was sufficient to sell out the venue.
Watch the entire fight card live on DAZN PPV
Alalshikh posted on social media that the sellout confirmed Crawford’s status as a “true mega-star.” However, it’s unclear if that’s the season the venue sold out. Crawford has never been a star, and he hasn’t been seen often enough in compelling fights for him to sell out a venue.
The undercard is loaded with fights that could be a main on their own, and some are arguably better than the Crawford-Madrimov match-up.
Boxing fans are highly interested in Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz vs. Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela and Andy Ruiz vs. Jarrell Miller fights on the undercard. Those two fights may be the real reason the tickets sold out for Saturday’s event, not because of Crawford, who rarely fights anymore.
If Crawford wins his fight on Saturday night against Madrimov, Turki needs to focus on matching him against someone popular who can sell tickets because you can’t depend on him to do it without loading the undercard with guys more people than him.
“When you’ve had the number of fights that Terence had and seen everything that could possibly come his way, it’s just like riding a bike. He’ll feel it,” said trainer Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntrye to Fighthype when asked how Terence Crawford can deal with the power shots that Israil Madrimov will be throwing at him on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
BoMac seems ultra-confident about Crawford’s ability to win this fight against Madrimov. Hopefully, it works out well for Crawford because he’ll have some explaining to do if he loses, and you’d hate to hear excuses.
“We’re just going to get that win, but if that knockout is there, we’re going to take it,” said BoMac when asked for his prediction on Crawford’s fight with Madrimov.
Crawford will need to take risks to go for a knockout, and that will put his chin on the line against the big-punching Madrimov. We’ve seen Crawford hurt many times in his career by lesser punchers, and it would be a bad idea for him go go for a knockout against Madrimov unless he’s 100% certain he’s out of it.
“You can’t really say that until you get in there. Once you get in there, you have to see how the fight goes. Depending on how the fight goes, then you can make that assessment,” said BoMac, on whether Madrimov is Crawford’s toughest fight of his 16-year professional career.
It’s too early for BoMac to give his thoughts on whether Madrimov is the best fighter Crawford has fought during his career. He can only determine that afterward, and it’s going to be funny if things don’t turn out well for him. It will be interesting to hear BoMac give a ‘Mistakes were made’ speech in the aftermath, sounding like a politician.
“What I tell everybody. My mind is just focused on Madrimov right now,” said BoMac about whether he’s looking forward to Crawford fighting Canelo Alvarez next. “Whoever is next on the chopping block, let’s get it.”
Canelo Alvarez will decide whether the fight with Crawford will happen, and it’s pointless for Terence to get his hopes up.
