Connect with us

Boxing

Substantial Fight Preview: Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov

Published

on

Terence Crawford is the epitome of the great fighter of the “four belt era.” He has amassed nine alphabet belts in 18 world title fights (all wins; 15 by KO) in three weight classes. However, some might argue that if we subtract those belts from his record and look only at the quality of his opponents, it falls compact of what is required to establish an “all-time” greatness.

But that’s a cynical and completely untrue view. It’s one expressed by those boxing hipsters, and I’m sure you know the type, who rattle off the names and biographies of legends of the past while lamenting those who lead today.

It’s not Crawford’s fault that he operates in an era where the only thing at the end of boxing’s yellow road is undisputed status, a goal that “Bud” has reached twice. To get there, stops at the door of inferior opposition are an inevitable byproduct of pleasing multiple sanctioning bodies at once; in every unification contest, there’s a mandatory task that must be completed to satisfy the Alphabets, and even title wins in today’s era can happen against opponents who came to the belts somewhat haphazardly. Furthermore, when comparing today’s greats with yesterday’s heroes, it’s also critical to remember how relatively infrequently today’s fighters get to fight.

In compact, don’t hate the player.

The fairest way to judge a fighter’s place in history is to first judge his place on his own timeline—simply because that’s the only barometer they can control in any way. And Crawford, the most vicious of ambidextrous fighters, proved to be the best fighter of his era at lightweight, welterweight, and welterweight, carving his own Hall of Fame plaque while standing elevated as the best and most complete fighter in the entire sport.

The left-handed player is looking to win his 10th title on Saturday night.t sanctioning the belt in the fourth division when he challenges WBA junior middleweight chief Israil Madrimov. Whether this proves to be just another notch on the bedpost, like the victorious efforts over Thomas Dulorme and Jeff Horne that may now be recognized, or something more significant – well, it’s too early to tell.

At 10-0-1 (7 KOs), Madrimov is a relative newbie in elite circles, and it could be argued that the 29-year-old Uzbek isn’t quite there yet. Whether Crawford wins easily or tough, or even loses, we’ll need to see more from Madrimov to assess what exactly he represents for Bud’s legacy. If, for example, he’s put together an impressive career, then any win over him would certainly improve with age. However, if a loss spells the beginning of the end for Madrimov — similar to the losses Crawford dealt to Dulorme and Horn — this fight may ultimately mean little.

A talented amateur whose rise through the pro ranks was suitably steep, the Indio, Calif., fighter earned his belt with an impressive knockout of Magomed Kurbanov in March. While it was a well-matched fight, few would have ranked either Madrimov or Kurbanov in the top three in the 154-pound division entering the fight for the vacant “world” title.

Madrimov has been a tough opponent for the rising fighter, though his wins over Kurbanov and Michel Soro are arguably his best ever and make this fight with Crawford a giant leap in class – even if Crawford is the one moving up in weight. For now, Madrimov has more potential than solidity.

A clean-cut, well-rounded fighter with a swagger in both gloves, Madrimov will likely start brisk and will need to do so if he wants to have a chance at a breakthrough victory. And if we’re going to create a scenario where Crawford loses, which is honestly like writing a fairy tale, the fact that the Nebraskan tends to take his time in the early rounds is the only place to start.

In three of his last four fights, against Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter and Kell Brook, Crawford has been ruled the loser in the first round by at least two of the three judges. Continuing the theme, Brook was level on two cards after three rounds, and Porter was in sight in all three after nine.

But it might be stretching the truth to say he’s a leisurely starter. Crawford, a true generational talent, tends to operate in cruise control until he decides or is told to put his foot down. Overtaking Crawford is one thing, but winning a race has proven nearly impossible so far.

A more telling statistic is this: He has won his last eight fights by knockout. Make no mistake, Crawford is a brutal finisher when he feels like it (just ask the lightweight heavyweights and heavyweights he reportedly demolished in sparring). He is also adept at taking down undefeated fighters like Andrey Klimov, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Viktor Postol, Julius Indongo, Horn, Jose Benavidez Jr, Egidijus Kavaliauskas and Spence Jr.

Another straw to pick in favor of Madrimov is the weight. This will be Crawford’s first fight at 154 pounds — about 19 pounds north of the lightweight division where he began his title run. While some great fighters have moved up from lower weight classes to junior middleweight, some — like Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather and Pernell Whitaker — have quickly realized they’re more effective at welterweight. That’s a scenario that could play out here, since there’s no guarantee that Crawford, who dominated at 147, will be the same at 154. Still, the prospect of the extra seven pounds being so inconvenient that he’ll be outboxed by Madrimov (he’s half an inch taller than the 5-foot-8 Crawford) is tough to imagine.

The other factor “against” Crawford is uncomplicated to dismiss. While he’s been inactive since his majestic defeat of Spence Jr. last July, a 13-month layoff is nothing novel. Since December 2019, his average time away from the ring between fights has been 11 months. What can’t be so easily ignored, however, is the possibility that Crawford will suddenly leisurely down. After all, he’s just a month away from turning 37, and the longer he fights, the more inevitable that fade becomes. We may see evidence of that on Saturday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

More likely, though, we’ll see more of what we’ve grown accustomed to. Madrimov – who will have a four-inch advantage in reach – is tough and mighty and could surprise the favourite with his power, especially when the action gets close. While he can win rounds, he has yet to prove he’s a sweet spot defensively, and Crawford’s ace of counter-punching as he shifts between positions and picks his moments to attack will ultimately disorient the younger man.

It’s pure guesswork how Crawford will win, because, first, we don’t know if his punches will have the same power in the juniors, and second, we have no idea how robust Madrimitov’s chin will be under fire. Still, the feeling is that the antique champion’s dominance in the second half will become so complete that a stoppage will occur – perhaps even initiated by the Uzbek’s corner.

Afterwards, there should be no doubt that we are witnessing the fight not only of one of the best warriors of his time, but one of the best of all time.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Tyson’s conqueror, Danny Williams, was “never considered” for Morrison

Published

on

Kenzie Morrison Danny Williams

World Boxing News has learned that Danny Williams was never considered for a fight against Tommy Morrison’s son Kenzie on November 9.

WBN has learned from a source that Williams was scheduled to face Morrison next month when he returns to action at Firelake Arena in Shawnee. However, promoter Tony Holden confirmed what WBN initially reported, namely that Williams had been offered for the fight.

BoxRec also briefly placed Williams within Morrison’s record on November 9, before removing the former British champion. Williams famously knocked out Mike Tyson in 2004, but has since lived off his victory despite losing his British license more than a decade ago.

Holden, who represents Morrison and is looking for an opponent for the competition in three weeks, explained the situation exclusively to WBN.

“I never confirmed William’s story and I never considered him,” Holden said. “I said no when a local promoter suggested it.”

Williams, 51, last fought in August 202, losing for the 33rd time in his career. With 88 professional fights under his belt, Williams seems unable to turn down a payday despite his advanced age.

Morrison, a power puncher who has stopped 19 of his 21 wins, will look for his next conquest elsewhere. The fight with Mike Balogun remains on the table for 2025 after it was postponed from its original October date.

Balogun, who knocked out Kenzi’s brother Trey in the first round, claimed Morrison was pulled from the fight to spare him the loss.

Holden denies this view.

“Even though this post isn’t up to my standards, I’m going to write it anyway. Mike Balogun falsely claimed that I pulled Kenzie Morrison out of the fight because I was afraid he would lose. Please allow me to correct you, Mr. Balogun,” he stated.

“The decision was not made by Kenzie. Let’s raise the stakes and make it fascinating. If you emerge victorious this month, Kenzie will fight in November.

“We may decide this early next year. If your confidence remains unshaken, we can place a significant bet. Watch Kenzie take revenge on her brother and end your career.

Balogun, a former San Francisco 49ers linebacker, responded to Holden by increasing his salary for a potential collision next year.

“No matter how fair and honorable your decision was, just remember that ‘yesterday’s price is not today’s price,’” said the 2010 undrafted pick.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Andrew Moloney is confident that if given the chance, he would have beaten Phumelele Cafu and Kosei Tanaka

Published

on

Andrew Moloney (left) attacks Pedro Guevara – photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Few people were more disappointed than Andrew Moloney when Kosei Tanaka lost his WBO super flyweight belt to Phumelele Cafu at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Monday night.

The 33-year-old Australian veteran was hoping to get a shot at beating Tanaka in the lucrative Japanese market.

Those dreams were dashed when South Africa’s Cafu delivered the performance of his life, knocking out Tanaka in the fifth round and finishing the fight strongly, beating the four-weight world champion by split decision.

“The plan was to target the WBO and really chase the Tanaka fight, but it all fell apart on Monday night,” Moloney (26-4-1NC, 16 KO) told The Ring. “I think the WBO is probably still the direction we go, but I’m not sure if they have a rematch clause or if Tanaka will take it. But after watching the fight yesterday, I would be really confident that I could fight one of these guys and win. We would like to follow this path.

“I would love to fight Tanaka in Japan as a four-division world champion. He’s definitely someone I’ve looked up to and wanted to fight for a long time.

“Last night was a little hard to watch. The way he performed, I’m more confident than ever that I have what it takes to beat Tanaka.

I assume there will be a rematch and I hope that Tanaka will regain the belt and I will be able to return to the ring and climb the rankings, and maybe this fight will still happen.

Tanaka entered Moloney’s orbit four years ago when he debuted at 115 pounds. Earlier this year, it looked like they were also on a collision course, with Moloney being number one in the WBO rankings. However, when an offer was made for the vacant IBF lightweight title fight between Vasily Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. in May in Perth, Western Australia, Moloney felt he couldn’t turn her down.

This decision ended in disaster. Moloney faced Carlos Cuadras, who withdrew from the fight with a ruptured Achilles tendon and was replaced by Pedro Guevara. Moloney entered the fight with a torn bicep and was largely reduced to boxing with one hand, which circumscribed his punching power.

Still, Moloney felt he did more than enough to win, and was shocked when Guevara was declared the winner by split decision. He was so disappointed that he announced immediately after the fight that he was leaving the ring, but a few days later he withdrew these comments.

It was a breakthrough moment in his career.

“Looking back, it’s a wonderful thing, but watching the Tanaka-Cafu fight made me think that maybe I would do a lot of things if I could turn back time a little bit,” Moloney explained.

“Before my last fight, I was number one in the WBO rankings and I rejected the option of waiting to fight Tanaka. But the opportunity arose to fight Guevara in Australia for the interim WBC title on a major card, and to be candid, I kind of regretted that the Tanaka fight was hanging in the balance, but ultimately we decided to stay busy and take the opportunity to fight in Australia.

“Also, the injury before the fight was another thing I thought about: will I undergo surgery, keep the top spot and wait for Tanaka, but I made the decision to go ahead with the fight with Guevara. Looking back now, maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. And looking at the way Tanaka fought last night, I thought maybe I should have waited. I’m sure I could beat Tanaka and take the belt away from him.

“So I take some consolation, but unfortunately you can’t turn back time.”

It’s been a frustrating year for Moloney, but he’s still hitting the gym and his team is working to get him another fight. The window of opportunity to box again this year is closing quickly, but he still hopes to return to the ring in December, most likely in his native Australia.

“I really hope so,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been working on. I have been training strenuous at the gym for some time, quite a few months. I hope to return before the end of the year.

“At this stage it will probably be December. I’m trying to block something, but so far no luck. I’m still training away as if the fight was to take place in December, the team is currently working on it and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll be able to finish it.

“I just hope we can get out before the end of the year, get back into the winner’s circle and start climbing the rankings again.”

Moloney, who fought at bantamweight for the first three years of his professional career before dropping down to super flyweight, surprisingly, said he would even consider moving up to another weight class given the right opportunity.

“It’s a tough time in the super flyweight division,” said Moloney, the eighth challenger to The Ring’s 115-pound title. “There’s a lot going on and it’s always strenuous to plan which route to take because everything changes so quickly. I’d pick Bam Rodriguez to beat Guevara, then there’s talk of a rematch between Kazuto Ioka and Fernando Martinez on Up-to-date Year’s Eve. And then there’s talk of Bama, if they win, fighting the winner of that game in unification. The WBO seems to me the fastest way to win the title, so that’s the path we will follow.

“We have also rejected for some time the idea of ​​moving up to flyweight and getting crack there. There’s also some engaging scene going on there right now, but it’s still uncertain. I’d probably feel a little better at super flyweight, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Cafu and Tanaka, but like I said, I’d feel comfortable and confident against either of them, so hopefully he can make it it will happen sooner rather than later.”

Continue Reading

Boxing

Doubts that fuel 19-year-old Benjamin Johnson

Published

on

Despite an impressive amateur resume, welterweight Benjamin Johnson of Springdale, Maryland, enters the professional ring with a shoulder injury.

Johnson will face Kevin Pantoja in a four-round fight at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland, promoted by his trainer Lamont Roach Snr’s NoXcuses Promotions. The fight will be broadcast on Saturday on ProBox TV.

Johnson, 1-0 (1 KO), spent just 2:23 in the ring in his professional debut, displaying the quick, aggressive hands that won him multiple national titles. However, 19-year-old Johnson feels an advantage, believing he is being overlooked by his NoXcuses Boxing Gym teammates.

Pantoja, 1-1, 27, has never stopped being a professional – Johnson aims to change that.

“People underestimate me,” Johnson said. “It’s been like that since I was an amateur.”

He added that this underestimation increases his motivation in the gym. Johnson is determined to prove his worth not only to himself, but also to those who doubt him or, worse, don’t recognize him. “I never felt like I was recognized as that guy, so I feel like I’m underappreciated,” Johnson said of his amateur and now professional career.

Johnson sees the fight as a key step in his career, compared to feared forward David Benavidez by some teammates and touted by others as one of the most ready-to-fight prospects in the country.

“I train as much as I can,” Johnson said. “It’s about making a statement. The way you win shows people what you’re capable of, and I’m ready to show my best.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending