Eddie Hearn says Israel Madrimov is ready to knock out Terence Crawford on August 3 and “ruin” the Honorable Turki Alalshikh's plans for a fight between the Nebraska native and Canelo Alvarez early next year.
Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) moves up to 154 with the idea of using WBA junior middleweight champion Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) as an introduction to his title shot against four-time 168-lb champion Canelo in the quarters the first of 2025, hoping to take his undisputed third division championship.
A Celebrity Game in the Making?
There is a level of celebrity in Crawford moving up two divisions from 154 to 168 and getting an immediate title shot against undefeated super middleweight champion Canelo, but that will go over the heads of the average boxing fan, who won't be as smart as Terence. breaking the rules of how the game is run.
Madrimov will be doing the game well if he spoils the celebrity game shows, and his competitors at 168 will be the first to thank him for his good deed.
If Crawford wants to fight Canelo for his belts, he has to earn them like the other heavyweight contenders at 168 by entering the salt mines of killers like David Benavidez, Christian Mbilli, David Morrell Jr, Caleb Plant, and Diego Pacheco.
Usually, fighters compete by weight class, work hard for a title by moving up in the rankings, and get a chance to fight a world champion if they're good enough. Crawford won't have to do that. He will only be given the title shot against Canelo, which is unfair to his competitors to jump ahead.
Also, Canelo-Crawford is a great celebrity match. However, Madrimov is a roadblock standing in front of the face, and he could ruin the Honorable Mention's plans by firing Crawford, sending him back to 147 where he came from.
Madrimov will ruin the team
“I sent a message to your Honor yesterday, saying, 'I'm so sorry to ruin your plans with Terence Crawford because all this people are talking about is what happened next. Canelo Alvarez, Boots Ennis,'” Eddie Hearn told Matchroom Boxing about his belief that Israel Madrimov will defeat Terence Crawford on August 3 in their ESPN+ PPV fight in Los Angeles.
If the 36-year-old Crawford is beaten by Israel Madrimov on August 3, it would be a huge setback for him, but it would be a good lesson for other fighters.
If you want to fight for world titles, you don't stay out of the ring for a year and come back 13 months later to get a quick world title at a new weight class you've never competed in at 36 years old.
“Israil Madrimov is a tough test for him [Crawford] increased by 154 pounds,” said Hearn. “He's a great middleweight, he punches hard, he's got amazing moves, a good boxing IQ, and he's got a great pedigree. This is a real, real fight.”
Crawford's main opponents are all guys Madrimov can go within five rounds. There's not a word in Crawford's 16-year streak that Madrimov couldn't win and he sits atop a glittering 24k gold record of 40-0 with 40 knockouts. That would be one of the best records of all time, and Madrimov will own it if he goes up against Crawford's opposition.
“We like our place in this fight, overlooked, underdog, but with the power of Uzbek, and he is ready to take out Terence Crawford in Los Angeles,” said Hearn. “He has to be smart, but he has to use his possessions, his movement, his angles and his strength.”
Casual boxing fans don't see Madrimov as a threat to Crawford, not the diehards who follow the sport. They know what Crawford is up against, and he and his coach, Brian 'BoMac' McIntyre, do too. If they didn't, they wouldn't be training so hard, trying to turn back time to get enough young people to win this dangerous war.
“Crawford is an outstanding player. “Make no mistake, Israel Madrimov is the underdog in this fight, but he is the underdog,” Hearn said. “He's a free and confident person in that ring, who believes in himself, and who believes that victory is up to him. He has a great group of people and the whole country is following him.”
It doesn't matter if Madrimov is an underdog or not. The key is to consider Crawford's age, inactivity, his past level of opposition, and how he views Madrimov as a stepping stone to a lucrative fight against Canelo in 2025.
Hearn didn't say if it was Crawford's idea to face Madrimov, but I believe His Excellency chose this fight. Otherwise, Crawford will go straight to the Canelo fight on payday if he is given the chance to take it without strings attached.
“Every time Madrimov goes home, he is like a prince, but this will make him the king of Uzbekistan, and the whole country is behind him, ready for August 3. This is what takes him around the world. This is the fight that turns Israel Madrimov into a star,” said Hearn.
Crawford Loss Effect
Madrimov's victory over Crawford would make him a king in Uzbekistan, make him a star in the US, and open the door to a fight with Canelo. That would be a Canelo vs. Prime GGG, who is creating a lot of excitement among boxing fans.
Where Crawford would go after losing to Madrimov is unclear. What is clear is that he would choose to return to welterweight to face Boot Ennis in a fight that many boxing fans are dying to see.
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