Terence Crawford locks up Israel Madrimov during their August 3 WBA 154-pound title fight at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles (Photo credit: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing)
LOS ANGELES – Trent Crawford likes to challenge himself and doesn't like to lose.
Few fighters like him have that mentality, but that combination has worked so far.
The undefeated Crawford came out of the box and defeated Israel Madrimov via unanimous decision on Saturday's DAZN Pay-Per-View event at BMO Stadium. Crawford (41-0, 31 knockouts) won by scores of 115-113, 115-113, and 116-112, and took the WBA junior middleweight title.
With that move, Crawford is now on the list for four divisions.
Boxing fans can argue about how the fight played out.
Uzbekistan's Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOs) provided a style that was difficult to solve and ensured No. 3 Ring weight is 154 pounds. He fought a structured fight set by trainer Joel Diaz and relied on the skills he honed at the grassroots level.
With the Madrimov fight now in the rearview mirror, the question posed to Crawford is whether Ring's No. What will the 3 pound-for-pound fighter face next?
The speculation heading into fight week was a big fight between Ring and unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs). Interest in this fight seems to lean heavily on Crawford's side. In addition, with the support of Turki Alalshikh his group Riyadh Season presented the program on Saturday.
In previous interviews, including one during the PPV event, Alalshikh said he would give Canelo another fight with Crawford. Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia are the suggested venues for the big fight.
“As I said before on ESPN, I made (Alvarez) an offer,” Alalshikh said. “If he is wise, he will accept you.”
After defeating Madrimov, Crawford was still open to fighting Alvarez.
“You know what I said, 'If the money is right, we fight,'” Crawford said in a post-fight interview with Chris Mannix. “(Canelo) has a fight to focus on. I have a family to focus on (now that Madrimov's fight is over).”
Crawford will turn 37 on September 28. Did his performance against Madrimov change Alvarez's opinion that he still wants to fight Crawford?
Alvarez will defend his 168-pound title against Brooklyn's Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs), No. 9 for 168, September 14 in Las Vegas.
Fans have been clamoring for Alvarez to face David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) for the past few years. Alvarez has been criticized for his recklessness in the fight. That would remain the case if he were to face Crawford before—or instead of—Benavidez.
Alalshikh also outlined an emergency plan if Alvarez continues to ignore his requests. Vergil Ortiz (21-0, 21 KOs) has emerged as the new frontrunner, should he dethrone interim WBC 154-pound champion Serhii Bohachuk (24-1, 23 KOs).
That fight takes place on Saturday at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. The DAZN event will mark the first sponsorship between Riyadh Season and Golden Boy Promotions, Ortiz's promoter.
The Crawford-Ortiz proposal has already gained traction, as has the attention of this weekend's undefeated opponent.
“@Turki_alalshikh put me in,” Ortiz wrote on X when he heard a cry on the air.
@Turki_alalshikh put me in!!
– Vergil Ortiz Jr. (@VergilOrtiz) August 4, 2024
There are more profitable and compelling fights at 154 pounds.
Chief among them will be former WBO champion Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs). The fight in his native Australia—where he fights on September 22—will do big business.
Saturday's win also saw Crawford take the WBO interim title and become a WBC contender. Both options put him on a straight path to WBC/WBO title holder Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs). The WBO has already announced that the fight must take place before the end of this year.
Fundora was teased against Errol Spence (28-1, 22 KOs), a fight or proposed date has not been announced. Crawford dominated and stopped Spence in 9th rounding out the full 147-pound division last July.
Also in this mix was recently crowned WBA belt Bakhram Murtalaziev (22-0, 16 KOs). Given Crawford's relationship with Alalshikh, the battle to unite Murtazaliev—a devout Muslim—will fit in well in Riyadh.
The competitiveness of Saturday's win has some fans saying he has the potential to dominate at the new weight. Crawford's eleven-fight knockout streak ended against defending champion Madrimov.
It should never take away from his strong status as a production talent. In fact, the effort to add to that legacy is even more compelling.
Crawford can stay at 154 and try to become the first ever three-division champion in the multi-belt era. Only four fighters in history have accomplished this at a time when the sport recognizes only one champion in each division.
The last to do so was the legendary Henry Armstrong, who held the 126, 135 and 147-pound championships in 1938.
Crawford may continue to challenge himself at his new weight ahead of the proposed fight against Alvarez. The odds of him losing to any of the world title holders in this weight class would be interesting.
Fortunately for this game, it's a risk Crawford is always willing to take.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has handled boxing in Southern California and internationally since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. They can be reached at [email protected]
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