Terence Crawford, who won a close decision over Israil Madrimov, moved to 41-0, 31 KOs, to become a four-weight world champion in Los Angeles.
Crawford picked up the WBA and WBO [interim but should be elevated] super welterweight titles after moving up from 147 pounds at the sold-out BMO Stadium. Madrimov proved he was a top-level competitor in taking Crawford all the way, but he couldn’t get the victory on the scorecards.
In the end, ‘Bud’ added two titles to his previous reigns at lightweight, super lightweight, and welterweight. CompuBox, which provided statistics for the headliner, confirmed how close the contest was between the pair.
“This was a nip and tuck fight, with four or fewer landed punches separating the combatants in eleven of the twelve rounds. Crawford threw 158 more punches than Madrimov, but that only translated into 11 more punches landed,” said CompuBox.
“Crawford landed 21 more jabs than Madrimov, while Madrimov landed ten more power punches. Crawford landed more punches than Madrimov in seven of the twelve rounds. The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favor of Crawford, who probably deserved to win.
In his post-fight interview, Crawford said he hopes to land a fight with Canelo Alvarez.
“He wasn’t throwing wild shots like I wanted him to. I figured it out from the get-go, but I was being patient. I didn’t want to rush in with anything; that’s how I got caught a couple of times, trying to eat too soon,” said Crawford.
“Israil was a tough competitor. I knew he would be tough; I knew all about him when I went to Uzbekistan. He’s really strong, durable, and took a lot of good shots. He got me to round twelve. He had fast feet, a good rhythm upstairs, and he was strong. And he was waiting to counter me, just like I was trying to counter him.
“If the money’s right, we got a fight [with Canelo], but at the same time, he’s got a fight that he’s focused on. I’m going to relax and enjoy this win.”
Madrimov and promoter Eddie Hearn bemoaned the result after believing the Uzbek did enough to defeat Crawford.
“I fought the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. I believe that I did enough because I was the champion,” said Madrimov. I was defending the belt, controlling the rhythm, and feeling very comfortable inside the ring.
“I made a couple of mistakes, but I felt I did enough in each round. I was holding myself back a lot, too, so I can make a lot more in the rematch. I already know what to do and can push harder,” he added.
Hearn stated, “It was a very close main event, and I thought Israil Madrimov did enough to edge it here tonight. There’s always the argument of dethroning the champion, whether you think that’s a thing or not.
“I’m not sure Crawford dethroned Madrimov tonight. We are extremely proud of him [Israil], and we are debating whether he won a fight against the pound-for-pound number one.”
With the victory, Crawford moves to the top of the WBN Pound for Pound Rankings. However, a second fight with Madrimov is doubtful.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
