Israil Madrimov looks like the Incredible Hulk in size, training for the title defense of his WBA junior middleweight belt in 19 days against Terence Crawford on August 3rd. Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) looks like Hercules ahead of this fight.
The bulky muscles could slow Madrimov down if the fight with Crawford goes into the later rounds, especially if Terence moves a lot like he used to earlier in his career. However, it’s been many years since Crawford showed movement in one of his fights, and he might be too old now to hit & run like he’d done 10+ years ago.
The Incredible Hulk Transformation
Israil Madrimov looking like the incredible hulk, ahead of his bout against Terence Crawford on August 3rd. pic.twitter.com/dQPKUaLydF
— Boxing Kingdom (@BoxingKingdom14) July 15, 2024
Madrimov has always been muscular in the past, but he looks more cut up and shredded from the hard training he’s put into this camp to prepare for Crawford. If this new look for Madrimov translates to GGG-like power, Crawford will be in serious trouble on August 3rd.
If Crawford goes to war with Madrimov in this fight, it could get interesting because he’s facing a guy with power that he’s never experienced during his long career.
It’s easily the toughest fight of Crawford’s career for many reasons. The layoff and his age are two things that are hard to ignore for Crawford, but so is his resume, which is essentially empty or high-quality opposition.
Crawford’s last six opponents:
– Errol Spence: *Post 2019 car crash in Dallas
– David Avanesyan: *Jaron Ennnis’ last victim
– Shawn Porter
– Kell Brook: *Post GGG destruction
– Egidijus Kavaliauskas
– Amir Khan:
This fight is essentially a trial run for Crawford, who wants to show fans and His Excellency that he deserves a world title shot against undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez next year.
It’s important that Crawford makes it exciting and does not turn in a dull, safety-first performance that will make fans question his worthiness of moving up two divisions to face Canelo without shining against Madrimov.
On social media, fans have commented on the size Madrimov has put on for the Crawford fight, and it seems that the Uzbek is focusing on his power game, knowing that his best path to victory against the highly skilled former three-division world champion is by knockout.
Madrimov has the power, which has been compared to a young Gennadiy Golovkin, agility, and natural size score a knockout of the 36-year-old Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs), who is taking this fight off a 13-month layoff.
There are questions about whether Crawford wanted this fight but was left no choice but to take it to get the pot of gold against superstar Canelo Alvarez at 168. It’s not the type of fight that Crawford or any fighter would voluntarily take if they knew they had a giant payday virtually guaranteed against Canelo in the first quarter of 2025.
Crawford’s Toughest Test Yet?
“Now he’s moving to 154. Sooner or later, it’s too much size, and when you’re fighting someone that is a big 154-pounder with huge power, that’s when you’re going to get found out,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, talking about Terence Crawford potentially hitting the ceiling by moving up to his fourth weight division by going up to 154 for his August 3rd fight against WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov.
If Madrimov can land his GGG-like punches on Crawford in this fight, he’s going to be in trouble because he hits too hard, and he’s never faced anyone with his type of power during his 16-year career.
“As I said, he’s an underdog going into this fight, but I think this is the toughest fight of Terence Crawford’s career so far,” said Hearn.
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