Written by: Sean Crose
Terence Crawford returned to the ring for the first time in a year on Saturday when he defeated Israel Madrimov's WBA junior middleweight title in Los Angeles. The fight, scheduled for twelve rounds, was the main event of the DAZN live-view card at LA's BMO Stadium. Crawford was making the jump from welterweight where he was last seen dominating Errol Spence, a fighter who was considered his equal, in an official fight in 2023.
The first round was a feel-good affair – unusual for Crawford's fights. The second was also a tight affair, although the fighters were starting to open up in the latter part of the round. Crawford probably took the third with a few clean shots. On the other hand, Madrimov was patient and almost let the round go. The fourth saw Madrimov alive and well against the fast-hitting Crawford.
Crawford went down in the fifth slip, and was tagged multiple times by Madrimov. The sixth was very close. This was one of those fights where no one had an amazing moment – and not until now. Madrimov continued to fight smartly in the seventh, but it was Crawford who had the upper hand. The soldiers finally started firing at each other at eight o'clock. It was a close, frustrating battle to score.
Madrimov's sharp shooting nearly earned him the ninth. The battle remained awkward in the tenth. Both fighters had their moments, and it was hard to tell who was actually better. Madrimov performed spectacularly in the eleventh, so spectacularly that he lost focus for a moment and was marked hard by Crawford, who went on to win the round. The twelfth and final round saw Crawford go down well. Madrimov came into his own, but Crawford may have finished it off.
After the final bell, the judges found Crawford by unanimous decision.
Source link
