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Terence Crawford, the pound-for-pound boxing superstar, is set to return to the ring on August 3rd at the BMO Arena in Los Angeles. His opponent? Israil Madrimov, the relatively unknown WBA junior middleweight titleholder, in a bout that promoter Eddie Hearn believes will be a tougher challenge than many anticipate.
Crawford (40-0, 36 KOs) boasts an unparalleled record, having unified titles across multiple weight divisions. However, Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) shouldn't be dismissed according to Hearn. Despite a slower start to his career due to the pandemic, the 29-year-old Uzbek fighter impressed with a dominant knockout victory in his professional debut in 2018.
"Everybody you know, the media, the fans... stop talking about plans for Terence Crawford, because he's going to come crumbling down on August 3," declared Hearn. "You've got a big, strong super welterweight that can punch and is in his prime."
Madrimov captured the vacant WBA title in March with a fifth-round TKO against Magomed Kurbanov. This upcoming fight will mark his toughest test yet, facing the undefeated Crawford who is moving up to 154lbs and returning after a 13-month absence from the ring following his win over Errol Spence Jr.
"Don't get me wrong, he's a big favorite against Madrimov, but do not rule this guy out," Hearn cautioned.
The stacked card, part of a collaboration between Hearn and Riyadh Season, promises to be a night to remember for boxing fans. The undercard features a WBA lightweight title fight between Isaac Cruz and Jose Valenzuela, alongside heavyweight matchups pitting Jared Anderson against Martin Bakole and Andy Ruiz Jr. against Jarrell Miller.
Hearn himself seems particularly excited about the event, stating,
"You've got one of the cards here, one of the nights of the year, one of the best cards I've ever seen in American boxing. This is a tough fight for Terence, one of the toughest fights of his career so far."
Will Crawford maintain his dominance against the rising star Madrimov? Boxing fans won't have to wait long to find out as this highly anticipated matchup approaches in August.