Terence Crawford just outpointed Israil Madrimov to become four-weight world champion
Terence Crawford became a four-weight world champion at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles by outpointing WBA super-welterweight world champion Israil Madrimov on August 3.
Bud also scooped up the vacant WBO Interim belt in the process, but it was a tough fight against a quality operator.
As expected the taller, bigger man, Madrimov, was on the front foot as Crawford boxed on the backfoot at range. The triple champion found his range and rhythm early on and picked off the Uzbek from his southpaw stance, his backhand left landing regularly.
The Nebraskan’s side to side movement was proving tricky for European to land anything meaningful but a lead right pushed him back in the third, then he responded with a big right uppercut.
Pivoting to his right in round five, Crawford’s right leg was tripped and he took a tumble. Madrimov landed another lead backhand right.
In the eighth, the pair held their feet and traded back and forth equally.
Both boxers were in full flow by the championship rounds, landing shots and rolling under. Crawford landed a succession of uppercuts in the 12th.
The fight grew through the rounds to end with an action-packed event, with both men holding their arms aloft at the final bell.
However, it was scored as 116-112, 115-113 twice to Crawford.
36-year-old Crawford is now 41-0 and Madrimov slips to 10-1-1 after his first loss as a pro.
Isaac Cruz was pipped by Jose Valenzuela on a split decision defeat.
David Morrell claimed the vacant WBA World light-heavyweight title against ‘Hot Rod’ Radivoje Kalajdzic.
Former unified world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. won 116-112 on one judge’s scorecards but the other two returned 114-114 scores to reach a mixed decision draw against drug cheat Jarrell Miller.
Jared Anderson was upset by Martin Bakole via five round stoppage, although many boxing insiders were not surprised by the result.
‘The Real Big Baby’ was down in the first round, then twice more in the fifth.
Andy Cruz and Steven Nelson both won their respective fights by KO.24-year-old welterweight prospect Ziyad Almaayouf was held a to a draw by losing fighter Michal Bulik, who was stopped by Campbell Hatton in five rounds last year.