Crawford Claims WBA Junior Middleweight Title in Close Fight Against Madrimov

In an exciting bout last Saturday at BMO Stadium, Terence Crawford scored a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Israil Madrimov, capturing the WBA junior middleweight title.

Crawford, who now boasts an impressive record of 41 wins and no losses, claimed the victory with judges scoring the match 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113. According to ESPN’s ringside score, it was even closer at 115-114.

This win marks a significant achievement for Crawford as he becomes a four-division champion. Notably, this was his first fight that went the distance since July 2016, demonstrating his ability to navigate challenging rounds after an 11-fight knockout streak.

<p“Israil was a tough competitor,” Crawford noted after the fight. “I won by enough but it was a tough fight, and he took a lot of good shots.” He acknowledged Madrimov's quick feet and counter-punching strategies that kept him on his toes throughout the match.

The fight was characterized by tactical exchanges and highly contested rounds. Crawford used his precise jab effectively, while Madrimov landed some clean shots, but there weren’t many back-and-forth combinations.

Madrimov, while being seen as a significant underdog, fought bravely and demonstrated his ability to compete at a high level. His promoter, Eddie Hearn from Matchroom Boxing, even expressed that there were plenty of effective punches from Madrimov, emphasizing how close the fight was.

Despite the loss, Madrimov felt confident about his performance, stating, “I fought the best pound-for-pound tonight,” hinting that he held back a bit and could display more in a potential rematch.

Crawford left the ring feeling the impact of fighting in the 154-pound division for the first time and recognized that he may not have that many more fights left in his career. After last year’s missed rematch against Errol Spence, this win felt crucial in gauging his performance this year.