Terence Crawford Getting Ready For Historic Showdown With Israil Madrimov

The undefeated American professional boxer Terence Crawford aims to cement his status as the world's premier fighter

Terence Crawford will challenge WBA Junior Middleweight Champion Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles on the 3rd of August /

By Mohamed Bahaa

Terence Crawford, widely regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in boxing, is set to face off against WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on August 3rd. This matchup marks Crawford's attempt to capture a world title in a fourth weight class, following his impressive unification of the welterweight division against Errol Spence last July.

Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) will headline the inaugural Riyadh Season card on U.S. soil, an event orchestrated in collaboration with Saudi Arabia's visionary sports promoter, Turki Al Sheikh. Originally, Crawford anticipated a rematch with Spence but chose to pursue new challenges when that bout fell through.

“For whatever reason it didn’t happen, so I had to move on with my career,” Crawford said. “The ultimate goal was to try to get the Canelo fight. That didn’t happen, so we went to the next best thing."

The 154-pound division presented an opportunity for Crawford to target a high-profile opponent. "I was looking to fight Charlo, he left, so I‘ve got a fight with whoever I could get for a world title. Israil Madrimov is a tremendous fighter. He’s 10-0, already a world champion. He’s a tough dangerous fighter. I think it’s going to be an exciting fight.”

Madrimov, undefeated with a 10-0 record, is known for his unique fighting style. Despite Madrimov's status as the reigning champion, Crawford sees this fight as a chance to solidify his place at the pinnacle of boxing. “He wants what I’ve got and that’s the recognition, the accolades, the pound-for-pound spot. He wants to be on top of the world like myself. He’s going to be filled with so much energy to prove to the world that he belongs in the ring with the top fighters.”

Crawford is confident in his ability to handle high-stakes fights, having faced numerous challengers eager to test his mettle. “As for myself, I’ve been here before. This is nothing new. I know how to handle things like this. I know how to go about fighting these types of guys that have a lot to prove. Come fight night, I will show the world once and for all, once again, why I’m the best fighter on the planet.”

The collaboration with Riyadh Season represents a significant milestone for Crawford, who praised Turki Al Sheikh’s efforts in bringing this event to the U.S. “I’m very excited to be headlining His Excellency Turki Al Sheikh’s first card in the USA. I’m very excited for the first big event coming to America. Being the headliner of the event is a big honor. It’s going to be a tremendous event. There’s a stacked undercard and I’m just happy to be a part of it."

In what promises to be an unforgettable night of boxing, Crawford and Madrimov will undoubtedly deliver an electrifying showdown that fans won’t want to miss.