FORMER WBA super-welterweight world champion, Israil Madrimov suffered a second consecutive defeat on the blockbuster ‘Last Crescendo’ card on Saturday night, losing out to hard-hitting undefeated rival, Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Madrimov, 10-2-1 (7 KOs), achieved world honours within 11 professional contests, defeating unbeaten Russian Magomed Kurbanov for the WBA world title at 154lbs. However, he would lose the championship in his first defence after taking on pound-for-pound sensation Terence Crawford who became a four-weight world champion with his points win.
As ever, the Uzbek continued to accept the tough challenges and admirably agreed to face both Serhii Bohachuk in December and Vergil Ortiz in February, in back-to-back clashes that would thrust him into the world title mix once again.
However, whilst the 2017 amateur world champion fell ill prior to his meeting with Bohachuk and was forced to withdraw, he went ahead with the showdown against Ortiz, 23-0 (21 KOs), at the weekend, where a closely fought battle ensued and ultimately went the way of the Texan.
Reflecting upon the unanimous-decision defeat, Madrimov revealed to Boxing News that doctors advised him not to proceed with the fight.
“With the Bohachuk fight in December, I was sick, I was very sick. It had not 100% disappeared and before the fight with Vergil Ortiz, two weeks ago, we went to the doctors and the doctor says, ‘you are sick, you are not ready for fight’.”
“I went 12 rounds and maybe if there is a rematch I can come back again stronger, Insha’Allah,” he added.
“I was training hard, but I was feeling no good, I just didn’t want to cancel the fight, so I risked it and went on with the fight.”
Yet, despite being handed a second straight defeat, Madrimov declared that he does not regret his decision and that he expects to bounce back in a similarly difficult affair next.
“No, [I don’t regret not cancelling the fight] because this fight, for me, was more experience and what happened happened, it’s more practice for the future.
“It’s my job [to take the tough fights]. When I debuted, I was fighting 10 rounds, we are going to risk [another tough fight next] because there are other fighters that we will top and then the big challenge will continue, inshallah.”
Due to the manner of both of Madrimov’s defeats, losing by one round to major stars in the sport, the 30-year-old remains a threat to the world champions and can be expected to come again, especially when he is back to full strength.
