Terence Crawford, boxing’s pound-for-pound king, seeks another title against Israil Madrimov

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Terence Crawford, the consensus best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, has added weight in hopes of claiming another title.

Crawford will try to become a four-division champion when he faces Israil Madrimov for the WBA super welterweight belt at BMO Stadium on Saturday.

It is the first fight for Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) at 154 pounds since he stopped Errol Spence Jr. in July 2023 to become the undisputed welterweight champion.

“A lot of people forgetting that I punch hard and I’m strong too,” said Crawford, who has also held titles at super lightweight and lightweight. “A lot of people is overthinking this whole fight, like he’s the bigger guy, he’s the stronger guy since I’m moving up in weight.”

A win over Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) would set up intriguing possibilities for Crawford’s next fight, including a lucrative showdown against Canelo Álvarez.

Crawford thinks the added size at super welterweight will benefit him, to say nothing of a catchweight super fight against the 168-pound champion Álvarez.

“Like I’ve said all fight week, I feel like I’m gonna be stronger, I’m gonna be more energized,” Crawford said during a press conference in the outdoor courtyard at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Thursday. “I don’t have to lose the extra seven pounds, so it’s gonna be less stress on my body. And I’m ready. I’m gonna be feeling great.”

Crawford is such a strong favorite that one of the card’s main selling points is a pre-fight concert by rapper Eminem, who performed his Oscar winning song “Lose Yourself” to accompany Crawford to the ring against Spence in Las Vegas last year.

Those expectations leave Madrimov, who won the vacant title by stopping Magomed Kurbanov in the fifth round in March, trying to capture his one moment.

Despite being largely unknown outside of deep boxing circles, the 29-year-old from Uzbekistan and now based in Indio, California, is confident he can pull off a stunning upset.

“I believe I can prove that I’m the best in the world as well,” Madrimov said through his manager, Vadim Kornilov. “And I believe that anything is possible. My dream is to create something that nobody expects, to do something and win the fight I’m not supposed to win.”

Crawford carried heavy -700 odds Friday, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, while Madrimov was at +425 to retain his title.

Having finished his opponent in 11 straight fights, Crawford to win by KO/TKO/DQ or technical decision was at -125 in the method of victory proposition bet.

The undercard is highlighted by a WBA super lightweight title fight between champion Isaac Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) and challenger Jose Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs), with the clash of Mexicans helping to drive ticket sales for the sold-out card.

Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-2, 22 KOs) is also in action, trying to position himself for a future heavyweight title shot. Ruiz shocked Anthony Joshua in 2019 to briefly take hold of three belts.

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