- Terence Crawford defeated Israil Madrimov to claim his fourth world championship title
- Post-victory, he expressed interest in a super-fight with Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez
- Crawford would need to step up in weight classes again to challenge Canelo
After becoming a four-weight world champion on Saturday night, Terence Crawford set his sights on a potential super-fight with Canelo Alvarez.
At 36, Crawford made it clear he wants to face the Mexican superstar, but first he needed to overcome Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov as he debuted in the super-welterweight division.
In a close and strategic bout, Crawford narrowly secured the victory, with judges scoring it 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in his favor.
In his post-fight interview, Crawford reiterated his desire to challenge Canelo.
‘If the money is right, you’ve got to fight,’ he commented, signaling that an enticing offer would soon be extended to Canelo.
Terence Crawford became a four-weight world champion on Saturday night
Crawford edged past Israil Madrimov (right) by a close unanimous decision
After his win, Crawford called for a super-fight with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez
When asked about the importance of fighting Canelo, Crawford responded: ‘It’s not so important to me. It’s simply another step towards greatness and, of course, financially beneficial!’
Madrimov presented some challenges for Crawford throughout the fight, pushing him until the very end.
A potential matchup between Crawford and Canelo would likely occur at the super-middleweight limit of 168lbs, as this has been Canelo’s weight division for several years.
Crawford secured his initial world title at lightweight, leading to questions about whether his struggles with Madrimov suggested he could be nearing his competitive weight limit.
However, the undefeated Crawford reassured that he is not apprehensive about moving up two more divisions.
‘Not at all [worried about moving up] because I’m confident that Madrimov could compete at 160,’ Crawford elaborated.
‘This guy is substantial. In the amateur ranks, he fought at a heavier weight and was very competitive.’
Canelo has his next bout lined up against rising star Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas on September 14.
A victory in that fight could pave the way for a showdown with Crawford to determine the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
