Promoter Eddie Hearn believes Terence Crawford won’t get past his next opponent, WBA junior middleweight champion Ismail Madrimov, on August 3rd.
Hearn notes that Crawford’s mind is focused on the Canelo Alvarez fight, and he’s not dialed into his match against the hard-hitting Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs).
Crawford’s Problems:
- Age: 36 years old; Crawford is near the end of his career.
- Inactivity: Crawford will be coming off a 13-month layoff when he fights on August 3rd, which could impact his performance against Madrimov
- New Weight Class: 154 is a division that Crawford will be fighting for the first time in when he returns to action.
- Focus on Canelo: Hearn thinks Crawford is thinking of the Canelo fight, and that will make him vulnerable against Madrimov. With the mega-millions that Crawford will get fighting Canelo, it’s impossible to keep his mind on Madrimov.
Even if the 36-year-old Crawford were 100% concentrating on Madrimov, it would be one that he could lose. Crawford’s age, inactivity, and fighting in a new weight class could lead to his defeat. But it’s too much when you factor in that Crawford has a Canelo fight that he and his team are focusing on.
Madrimov: A Formidable Opponent
If Crawford wasn’t overconfident and in such a mad hurry to get the Canelo payday, he would ease his way into the 154-lb division slowly, taking several transition fights to acclimatize himself to the division before taking on the killer puncher Madrimov.
But Crawford wants that mega-payday against Canelo, and that means he has to skip prerequisite steps that he or any normal would take if they were the same advanced age, about to turn 37 in September, dealing with a new weight class and 13 months of inactivity.
“Jaron fights in two weeks. I want to see him unify the division and try and clean up at 147 and then move to 154,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to the media last Saturday night. If Terence Crawford gets through Madrimov, which I don’t think he does, then Boots Ennis will clean out Terence Crawford.”
It’s a plain old-fashioned example of an overconfident fighter thinking about the payday ahead rather than the hard work in front of them.
Crawford is a classic case of someone who has had too much success in the past against beatable opposition. Now that he’s older and offered huge money against a formidable talent, he believes he can make easy work of this opponent, too.
Hearn’s Predicts Tough Fight for Crawford
“I think they’re underestimating him,” said Hearn about WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov. “He’s extremely tough, he hits very hard, and it’s all like, ‘Canelo after this.’ Don’t get me wrong. Crawford is the favorite in the fight, but Madrimov is a very, very tough fight.”
Many people are underestimating Madrinov, but that’s understandable. The average boxing fan knows very little about the sport, and they’re impressionable, believing what the promoters say without checking it out for themselves.
“He’s got great movement, he’s a fit, strong guy in his prime, and as I said, he punches very hard, and that’s not an easy fight,” Hearn said about Madrimov.
The power, youth, and mobility of the 29-year-old Madrimov will be a nightmare for Crawford, which could be a disaster for him. He could be sadly mistaken if he thinks Madrimov will be another depleted old guy like his last three opponents, Errol Spence, David Avanesyan, and Shawn Porter.
“I think the only person that can make that fight is His Excellency because of what Canelo wants for that fight,” said Hearn about Canelo Alvarez vs. Crawford.
“So, you’re going to have to pay up for it, and the only way to pay the money that Saul wants for that fight [is His Excellency],” said Hearn.
It’s still not a certainty that Crawford will get the fight against Canelo next year. His Excellency will need to give Canelo an offer he can’t refuse to take this fight because it’s a no-win situation for him. If Canelo destroys Crawford, he won’t get credit because he moved up two weight classes and was old at nearly 37.
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