Eddie Hearn is firmly convinced that underdog Israil Madrimov will upset Terence Crawford next month on August 3rd in their headliner on ESPN+ PPV at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
It’s easy to see why Hearn is picking Madrimov to win. Crawford has bulked up for this fight with Madrimov, and he’s expected to be slower and easier to hit.
He’s not young, coming off a layoff, never fought at 154, and is facing a puncher with the kind of power he’s never experienced.
Will Crawford play it safe by dancing around for twelve rounds, imitating Shakur Stevenson because if he battles Madrimov, it could end badly for him?
Terence has never been in an actual war where he’s had to take a lot of heavy shots from a fighter with Madrimov’s punching power, and it could be disastrous for him if he’s forced to take shots for more than six rounds.
Madrimov: A Different Challenge
Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs), the WBA junior middleweight champion, is viewed by fans as a gimme for the 37-ish Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs), who looked like pure gold in his last fight against Errol Spence Jr. on July 29th, 2023.
That fight was against a different guy, a depleted, wasted shell, Spence. Madrimov is bigger, stronger, younger, and not worn out from two car crashes, ring wars, and weight issues from bad & drinking and eating habits between fights.
“I actually think Madrimov will beat Crawford. I know he’s a big underdog to do it, but I think he can do it,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to iFL TV, predicting victory for WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov against challenger Terence Crawford on August 3rd in Los Angeles.
Crawford’s Image: A Fan Illusion?
Fans’ image of Crawford could be warped due to his win over Spence and his exploding gloves knockout victory over David Avanesyan in his fight before that.
Those victories gave fans a misleading image of Crawford’s talent, making them believe he was unbeatable and could do the same thing to Madrimov, Canelo Alvarez, or any fighter up to cruiserweight.
Crawford is an excellent fighter, but the guys he’s been beating were ready for the scrap heap. They were never that great or over the hill by the time he fought them.
Crawford’s Winning Streak: A Closer Look
Errol Spence
David Avanesyan
Shawn Porter
Kell Brook
Egidijus Kavaliauskas
Jose Benavidez Jr
Jeff Horn
None of those fighters were killers at 147 by the time Crawford fought them. Shawn Porter was 34 and had already lost to Spence. Brook and Khan were shot.
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