EDDIE HEARN is simply doing his job as a promoter, but at any given opportunity, he wants the world to know that Israil Madrimov will beat Terence Crawford.
The Kazakh defends his WBA super-welterweight title on a Riyadh Season event on August 3 in Los Angeles against the former two-weight undisputed champion who topped all of his previous world title victories with his biggest ever against Errol Spence Jr last summer. That night, “Bud” Crawford elevated himself from great to one of the best to ever do it and will now attempt to win honours in a fourth weight, having begun life at lightweight.
Madrimov won his first and only world title when he outclassed Magomed Kurbanov in Saudi Arabia in March. The fifth-round stoppage came at a time when Madrimov looked like he had more gears to go through, such was the difference in quality between the two.
Speaking on Saturday night in Philadelphia before recent acquisition Jaron Ennis was about to make his debut for Matchroom, Hearn gave his thoughts on Madrimov-Crawford to DAZN’s Chris Mannix.
“He’s the underdog but Madrimov’s a quality fighter,” Hearn said.
“Great movement, he’s got a lot of power. “Bud” was world champion at 135, undisputed at ’40, undisputed at ’47 – sooner or later you move up too far. Madrimov can crack and don’t get me wrong he’s a big underdog but everybody’s looking past Israil Madrimov… Terence Crawford, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh… they’ve all got these other plans for next year.
“Don’t sleep on Israil Madrimov. Uzbek power coming to one of the biggest nights in American boxing for a long time.”
