Terence Crawford is now a four-division champion, however this one wasn’t simple. Crawford earned a unanimous resolution victory over Israil Madrimov in a detailed, hard-fought bout to seize the WBA tremendous welterweight.
The judges scored it 116-112, 115-113×2, all in favor of Crawford, who has now held titles at 135, 140, 147, and 154 kilos.
Here’s a take a look at the official scorecards:
Crawford’s jab, exercise, and a robust push within the championship rounds appeared to safe the struggle and a title in a brand new weight class.
Madrimov was a fancy puzzle to resolve. Madrimov’s motion, sneaky pace, and energy have been key elements that stored Crawford cautious all through the struggle. His straight proper hand discovered a house through the early and center rounds, additional including to the problem. Crawford did sufficient to nullify Madrimov’s momentum with highly effective pictures to the physique and a few well-placed uppercuts.
Each males had just a little mouse underneath their left eye from the opposite’s punches, however there was no different important facial injury. Madrimov’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, echoed his post-fight sentiments on social media shortly after the bout.
Hearn believes Madrimov was disrespected on the scorecards and deserved extra love because the defending champion.
Longtime boxing journalist Dan Rafael gave a fast tackle the end result, pointing the finger at Madrimov’s lack of exercise and throwing some chilly water on Crawford’s need to step as much as struggle Canelo Alvarez at 168 kilos.
I disagree with Rafael on Madrimov’s inactivity. I agree Crawford outworked him down the stretch, however I don’t assume it was Madrimov’s selection.
It appeared Madrimov obtained just a little drained down the stretch and ate some onerous pictures within the eleventh and twelfth rounds. Madrimov’s fixed movement is a part of what makes him powerful to time, but it surely’s additionally a taxing strategy to struggle, and which may have contributed to his decreased work price through the championship rounds.
I do agree with Rafael’s tackle a possible Crawford-Canelo matchup. You would see Madrimov’s punches and general power had just a little extra affect on Crawford, and this was just one weight class up from welterweight.
It’s powerful to think about Crawford absorbing among the pictures he took from Madrimov in the event that they have been coming from Canelo. Crawford could possibly be rematching Errol Spence in his subsequent struggle by taking up one other problem at 154 kilos, however it’s simple to see how his followers could be a bit nervous if he tried to problem Canelo.
Saturday night time’s scrap was a superb tactical struggle between two elite boxers, and Crawford gained.
The general present was sturdy as Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season produced an impressive first occasion in the USA, and there are seemingly extra to come back within the States. We noticed two main upsets with Martin Bakole stopping Jared Anderson and Jose Valenzuela dethroning Isaac Cruz.
General, it was a superb night time of boxing throughout a number of weight courses.