The Crawford vs. Madrimov pay-per-view saw David Morrell [11-0, 9 KOs] of Cuba fight Serbian American Radivoje Kalajdzic [29-3, 21 KOs] in a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight bout for the WBA World Light Heavyweight Title.
Morrell’s punches carried more force to begin the bout, earning him the edge. Morrell continued his dominant performance into the second round, backing Kalajdzic into a corner and landing several effective punches.
The two fighters stood tall, going the distance, but Morrell defeated “Hot Rod” unanimously to win a secondary WBA title in his debut at 175 lbs. Morrell won with scores of 117-111, 117-111, and 118-110. After the fight, Morrell acknowledged Kalajdzic’s strength and noted the increased difficulty he experienced fighting at a higher weight class.
“This guy’s a strong guy, a good fighter,” Morrell said. Asked if he was surprised Kalajdzic could handle his power, Morrell replied, “No, it’s seven more lbs. (compared to prior fights). Everyone in this division is stronger. I feel happy.”
Morrell’s performance showcased his resilience and ambition in the light heavyweight division. After the fight, Morrell called out David Benavidez, expressing his desire to prove himself as the best at 175 lbs.
“I want Benavidez. Everybody knows it’s him. I want to show everyone I’m the best at 175,” Morrell said. “Everyone says he’s the bogeyman, but I’m here.”
Opening the pay-per-view saw Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz [4-0, 2 KOs] announcing himself as a lightweight fighter to watch with a sensational seventh-round knockout over boxing veteran Antonio Moran [30-7-1, 21 KOs] for the IBF International & WBA Continental LATIN AMERICAN Lightweight Titles.
Early action saw Moran start the match aggressively, landing jabs and hard shots, while Cruz responded with precise counterpunching. The early rounds were competitive, with both fighters exchanging power shots and Moran maintaining a slight edge.
“It was a tough moment, but you don’t (get in) the boxing industry without expecting to get hit,” Cruz said.
Cruz found his range and rhythm in the later rounds, delivering powerful punches that gradually wore Moran down. In the seventh round, Cruz rocked Moran with a massive right hand, and though the ropes saved Moran from a direct fall, the referee stopped the fight, declaring Cruz the winner by KO.
“I’m really happy. Mission accomplished,” Cruz said. “The first aim was to win the fight. To win the fight within the distance was a bonus. I said before the fight it would not be easy, but I managed to show I was at this level. I can go higher.”
This victory showcased Cruz’s potential as a promising prospect despite his limited professional experience compared to Moran’s extensive fight record.
“My goal is to be a world champion by this time next year,” Cruz said, “I know I have to take tough steps to get there.”
After the kickoff, Crawford’s training partner, Steven Nelson [20-0, 16 KOs], earned a fifth-round TKO victory over Marcos Ramon Vazquez [20-1-1, 10 KOs]. Nelson started the bout off slowly in the first round but gained momentum as the fight continued. Despite Vazquez’s aggressive counterpunching and a competitive second round, Nelson maintained his lead.
In the later rounds, Nelson’s relentless pressure resulted in multiple knockdowns, ultimately leading to a TKO victory in the fifth round, which gave Vazquez his first professional loss.
Kicking off the fight card, lightweight fighters Ziyad Almaayouf [5-0, 1 KO] and Michael Bulik [6-7, 2 KOs] squared off, going the distance and resulting in a majority draw.
One judge scored the six-round welterweight bout 59-55 in favor of Bulik, and the other two scored it 57-57.
