Terence Crawford looked to add to his legacy on Saturday night as he stepped inside the ring with reigning WBA jr. middleweight world champion Israil Madrimov.
Crawford, who carries with him a perfect 40-0 record and 22 wins by KO, has already captured world titles at lightweight, super lightweight, and welterweight. Securing a win over Madrimov at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles would make him a world champion in four different weight classes, further solidifying his position as arguably the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer on the planet.
Things were fairly slow in the opening rounds with Madrimov content to dance around the ring as Crawford circled around the outside, pumping his jab and looking to get his opponent’s timing. Despite the lack of action, ‘Bud’ landed the more significant strikes, prompting Madrimov to pick up the pace in the middle rounds.
Crawford appeared almost lost at one point, unable to tag his opponent thanks to Madriov’s constant movement. As we entered the championship rounds, Crawford began to open up, landing combinations and doubling up on his jab while Madrimov often settled for single strikes.
The 12th and final round was undoubtedly the most entertaining with both fighters offering everything they had left in an incredibly close contest. In the end, ‘Bud’ saw his streak of 11-straight finishes come to an end, but that didn’t stop him from making history in the City of Angels.
Official Result: Terence Crawford def. Israil Madrimov via unanimous decision (116-112, 115-113, 115-113) to win the WBA jr. middleweight world championship.
Check Out Highlights From Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov:
