Crawford vs. Madrimov Preview: Building A Legacy

The best fighting the best has been a subject on the minds of boxing fans and athletes alike for the last three years. It has swarmed public discourse, changing the nature of the conversations we share about competition. Terence Crawford is a man who has evaded scrutiny, and sometimes even denied praise for his choice of in-ring competition. When Errol Spence Jr. and Al Haymon, PBC's longtime executive director, declined to do business, Crawford instead chose to fight David Avanesyan. As reported here on DQ w/ Damani, the Avanesyan fight was financially lucrative, using upstart promotion BLK Prime as a source of funding for a fight that casual fans deemed irrelevant. Crawford walked away with millions, while Spence sat on the sidelines.

Now in 2024, almost exactly a year after Crawford knocked out Avanesyan and destroyed Spence, the former Undisputed World Welterweight Champion steps up his level of competition again. After being unjustly stripped of his IBF Welterweight crown before having the chance to defend it, Terence Crawford made the decision to move to 154 lbs. This move to super-welterweight was motivated by two factors.

The first was the advent of a Spence-Crawford rematch. During the medial buildup for the WBC, WBO, IBF, and WBA Welterweight Unification fight, Spence spoke several times about struggling to make 147 lbs. It was clear that he had outgrown the division with age and wanted to move up. If a rematch were to occur, it was obvious that Crawford would have to move up. Secondly, the chance to snatch more belts in a new weight class. 147 was becoming too crowded, with too many fighters across different promotions creating a difficult roadmap for Crawford.

At 154, Sebastian Fundora and Israil Madrimov occupy the titles that matter most to Crawford. With a simpler roadmap to undisputed status, Crawford's decision to fight at 154 against Madrimov next made the most sense. With only one day to go until fight night, many people are wondering if this will be Crawford's toughest fight yet. Although this match with Madrimov makes the most sense on paper, one look at both men's résumé tells the full story. After becoming undisputed at 140 and 147, Crawford has little left to prove to the boxing public. He beat names such as Jeff Horn, “Showtime” Shawn Porter, Errol Spence Jr., and even Kell Brook, all in convincing fashion.

Madrimov, despite being only a 10-0 professional, has earned a WBA World Super-Welterweight Championship. His amateur career speaks for itself. A World Series of Boxing (WSoB for those in the know) finalist and two-time Asian Games gold medalist, Madrimov is a destructive power-punching machine that most would avoid. His punch selection and power remind many pundits of a young GGG, who boasted similar offensive pressure to Madrimov in the days prior to the first Canelo matchup.

The transition the super-welterweight division experienced was perfect for outliers such as Madrimov and Tim Tszyu. As Charlo's undisputed reign came to a close, the belts were freed up, granting Tszyu, Fundora, and Madrimov the opportunity to add belts to their respective promotions. Despite not being a key name in the American market, Madrimov has bided his time. There is no one more qualified to be Terence Crawford's first opponent than Israil Madrimov. The 29-year-old could easily become a new threat on the pound-for-pound list with a victory over Crawford, or be another name in the story of Crawford's ascent to higher levels of greatness.

This fight also marks the first major success of The Honorable Turki Al-Al-Sheikh in America, who has been looking to engage with more fighters in the American market. Names such as Jared Anderson and Terence Crawford were highly sought after, which led to a Riyadh Season partnership across promotional lines. With such a stacked card, boasting Anderson, Crawford, “Pitbull” Cruz, and Andy Cruz, it is bound to draw more eyes to the sport and prove that unity is possible in the sport of boxing. Sometimes all it takes is a little push from a third party to get the ball rolling, and this is exactly what has been achieved in the case of this card, and cards of the future. Riyadh Season successfully inked deals with Golden Boy and ESPN-Top Rank, with many expecting PBC to be next. If Turki Al-Al-Sheikh could bridge the gap between each of the big three, it would send ripples through the combat sports world that cannot be ignored. This Saturday, August 3rd, don't miss the history-defining fight between Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov.