Terence Crawford could see big payday, bigger challenge in super fight with Canelo Álvarez

LOS ANGELES (AP) — There was a bigger prize hanging over Terence Crawford’s WBA super welterweight title fight against Israil Madrimov.

Crawford was trying to retain his crown as the consensus best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, remain undefeated, and become a four-division champion, all of which he accomplished with the unanimous decision win on Saturday.

All that paled in comparison to the prospect of a super fight against Canelo Álvarez, one that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Crawford and further elevate his standing in the sport.

“Canelo, we are ready to (fight in) February,” said Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi Arabian politician and financier who was behind the Crawford-Madrimov card. “Crawford ready. Accept.”

The financial muscle to make the fight happen is in place, but Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) wasn’t reconsidering the sporting merit after a closer than expected result over Madrimov.

Crawford had stopped the opponent in 11 straight bouts, but that streak ended in his first fight at 154 pounds. Madrimov was able to handle and equal Crawford’s power, leading to a canny tactical contest.

Having to move up in weight again to face the larger Álvarez, who will defend his super middleweight title against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas, could be a step too far.

Eddie Hearn, the promoter who represents Madrimov and previously worked with Álvarez, described potentially facing Álvarez at 168 pounds as a “huge jump” for Crawford.

Madrimov agreed the size disparity might be too much for Crawford to overcome.

“It depends on what weight they fight in, but if they’re going to be fighting in Canelo’s current weight category, I think it will be very difficult for Crawford,” Madrimov said through his manager, Vadim Kornilov.

Brian McIntyre, Crawford’s trainer, said his fighter would need to highlight athleticism in a showdown with Álvarez.

“Get them legs in some shape, man, ’cause got to move. … You’re gonna have to have side to side movement with Canelo,” McIntyre said.

Those concerns might be what makes the matchup enticing to Crawford. The Omaha, Nebraska, native has long bristled at conventional logic in the fight game, seemingly to his detriment early on in his career.

Now, at 36 years old, Crawford is in position to be the centerpiece of the sport. That could come against Álvarez, but Alalshikh is also championing Crawford and undefeated Vergil Ortiz Jr. at 154 pounds as an equally intriguing fight should Álvarez decline.

McIntyre mentioned a possible matchup against Sebastian Fundora, who holds the WBC and WBO super welterweight belts.

“Y’all know Terence is almost done, so he’s making proof of his legacy,” McIntyre said when asked about Crawford’s next opponent.

And for a pugilist who spent most of his career being overshadowed in the mainstream by the likes of Álvarez, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, the structure of the event at BMO Stadium, which included a pre-fight concert by rapper Eminem, was seemingly designed to establish Crawford at that level.

Hearn believes some of that stardust rubbed off on Madrimov, a 29-year-old from Uzbekistan, during his spirited performance.

“We still would have preferred the win, but the stock of Israil Madrimov has risen around the world, and the future is very bright,” Hearn said.

For Crawford, his next steps are seemingly dependent on Álvarez’s upcoming bout and subsequent decision.

Having done his part, Crawford exalted in the moment.

“We here now,” Crawford said. “Everything happened for a reason. The cream always rise to the top, you know, and if you look around, I’m the last man standing, and I’m the one they was talking so bad about.”

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AP boxing: https://apnews.com/hub/boxing