Boxing fans across the globe will have a nice treat this weekend as one of the greatest ever in this sport faces another challenge ahead of him. Terence Crawford attacks the belt in his fourth weight class, and the opponent on the other side of the ring will be the reigning champion, Israil Madrimovs.
Bud pursues the WBA super welterweight belt, which would cement his legacy as one of the best in the division and the entire sport. But that motivates the reigning champion, Madrimov, who only won the honors in March this year. Many believe that he can’t compete with the veteran, and according to the 29-year-old, it only gives him additional drive to win.
Terrence Crawford VS Israil Madrimov Preview
Crawford
Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) smashed Errol Spence Jr. last July, terminating all the conversations about their rivalry and putting an end to all the discussions on who’s a better fighter. Bud proved his worth in nine overwhelmingly dominant rounds.
After being the undisputed super lightweight, this was yet another weight class in which he had no rivals to beat. The list of his previous victims is impressive—Amir Khan, Jose Benavidez Jr., Julius Indongo, Kell Brook, etc.
He’s been unbeaten for 16 years, achieving double undisputed status and securing the pound-for-pound No. 1 spot. His appearance in the ring epitomizes the very best of boxing skills and craft. We must stress that even though he has the athleticism and the skills, Crawford is mentally the best-equipped boxer in the world now. Why? Because he reads the rivals well and, in accordance, makes the adjustments, changing the rhythm and the pace in the ring.
Madrimov
Israil Madrimov (10-0-1, 8 KOs) won against Russian star Magomed Kurbanov for his current title. This was in March at the Kingdon Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Madrimov trashing the rival in the fifth round via TKO. He was dominant until the first gong, and there were no doubts about his triumph throughout the battle.
Want to get to know Terence Crawford's next opponent?
I broke down Israil Madrimov's title-winning performance. pic.twitter.com/O7Q97p5TrH
— Miguel Class (@MigClass) August 1, 2024
Despite having only 11 professional fights under his belt, Madrimov is a complete fighter, and his title-winning performance proves it. At 29 years old, he is seven years younger than the American. Also, he didn’t go up or down the weight classes but was a welterweight right from the start, whereas Crawford began his career as a lightweight.
Some analysts believe Crawford lacks punch power, which will be one of Madrimov’s biggest advantages here. In 11 bouts and 10 wins, seven were via KO. He is a typical example of a Soviet boxing school, meaning his physicality is fantastic, and he uses long directs and jabs to control his rival.
Crawford VS Madrimov Predictions
We really believe that Madrimov has enough quality to go through all 12 rounds with Bud. Why? No.1 would be his size and punch power. That’s something Crawford has already acknowledged, and he won’t be so open and aggressive against a guy who can knock him out with one hit. Also, there is a matter of Madrimov’s skill, with the Uzbekistani posting over 350 amateur wins. He knows all sorts of catches and traps and can compete with the American at that level.
Still, Crawford’s overall quality is greater than Madrimov’s, and that’s why we believe he is going to edge out the rival one way or the other (more realistically via decision).
Regarding the odds, they are available at this link, so feel free to explore what BetXchange has for this event.
