Terence Crawford, widely regarded as the top pound-for-pound boxer globally, secured a unanimous decision victory over Israil Madrimov on Saturday night, earning the title of four-division champion.
In his debut at 154lbs, Crawford claimed the WBA super welterweight title with scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 from the judges.
Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) returned to the ring after his July 2023 stoppage of Errol Spence Jr., which made him the undisputed welterweight champion. He previously held titles in both super lightweight and lightweight divisions.
This recent win could pave the way for a matchup against Canelo Álvarez, the current champion at 168lbs.
“You know what I always say: if the money is right, we got to fight,” Crawford remarked right after the fight.
The relatively unknown Madrimov (10-1-1) performed commendably on the biggest stage of his career, representing Uzbekistan at 29 years old.
“I faced the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and I believe I did enough because I was the champion,” Madrimov stated. “I controlled the rhythm and felt very comfortable in the ring. I think I performed really well.”
The match began cautiously as both fighters sought to find their footing during the initial three rounds. However, this slow pace did not sit well with the packed audience at BMO Stadium, who responded with jeers after enduring the sweltering weather throughout the lengthy event for MLS’s LAFC.
Crawford upped the ante in the fourth round, narrowly missing a powerful right hand in the dying seconds.
“I didn’t want to rush in because that’s how I got caught a couple of times—by rushing and trying to eat too soon,” Crawford explained. “But I executed my game plan.”
After Crawford slipped and found himself on the canvas in the fifth round, Madrimov seized the moment, launching a series of aggressive punches that put Crawford on the defensive. This flurry forced Crawford to be more cautious for the subsequent two rounds until he delivered a notable body combination late in the seventh.
“He was waiting to counter me as I aimed to counter him,” Crawford reflected. “He was very disciplined, not rushing in with wild shots as I anticipated, and it resulted in a very good fight.”
Madrimov regained momentum in the eighth round, landing three consecutive rights to Crawford’s face. However, Crawford responded with a punch of his own that caused Madrimov to clinch, momentarily halting his momentum, allowing Crawford to follow up with a right hook.
“I made some errors, but I felt I did enough in every round,” Madrimov noted. “I was restraining myself quite a bit, so in a rematch, I can do much more.”
The action intensified over the following two rounds, with both fighters focusing on delivering powerful strikes rather than maintaining prolonged control.
Crawford surged in the final 30 seconds of the 11th round. This burst of energy carried into the last round, where he pushed hard to achieve a 12th consecutive knockout victory. In the final moments, both fighters missed wild throws, but Crawford confidently raised both gloves in triumph as the bout concluded.
In the co-main event, Jose Valenzuela (14-2) claimed the WBA super lightweight title via split decision against Isaac Cruz (26-3-1). Valenzuela received identical scores of 116-112 from two judges, while Cruz garnered a 115-113 score from the third judge.
The crowd expressed their discontent, booing both the decision and Valenzuela during his post-fight interview, as Cruz fought relentlessly, embodying his “Pitbull” moniker and forcing Valenzuela into consistent retreat. Nevertheless, Valenzuela’s tactical counterpunching won over the necessary judges. Cruz indicated he would be seeking an immediate rematch.
