Former WBC interim junior middleweight world champion Brian Mendoza disagrees with bookmakers and fans who are writing off Israil Madrimov’s chances of defending his WBA junior middleweight title against Terence Crawford on August 3 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Mendoza believes it’s a mistake to assume that Crawford (40-0, 31 KKOs) will have an straightforward fight against Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs). Moving up to 154 and fighting a gigantic puncher like Madrimov could be a problem for Crawford. He hasn’t fought at that weight and isn’t used to getting hit as tough as the guy.
Bookmakers are likely still basing their predictions on what Crawford did in his last fight with Errol Spence Jr. a year ago and believe he will do the same to Madrimov. What’s more, he doesn’t have Spence’s reputation and hasn’t accomplished as much.
“I think so, but I think they’re writing Madrimov off a little bit too much,” Brian Mendoza told Sean Zittel Youtube channel about Terence Crawford’s fight with Israil Madrimov on August 3. “The odds are crazy. I don’t think the odds are that high.”
Where does this discrepancy in perception come from?
It’s normal for fans and media to write off fighters they haven’t seen much of. If Crawford hasn’t lost any of his game since his last fight a year ago, and if he’s at 154, he has a chance of winning. Madrimov’s fights haven’t been shown on network television in the U.S., so he’s unknown to Americans.
“Madrimov is a very sturdy fighter. He’ll come for it. He’ll come to defend his title. He already has his title. That’s something that Crawford will really have to take from him,” Mendoza said.
A tough puzzle for Crawford
Madrimov’s punching power, striking ability, youth and eccentric style will be the puzzle Crawford must overcome in this fight. If Crawford assumes he’s facing the next Errol Spence, he could be in for a major shock on August 3.
“So I’m leaning towards Crawford, but I don’t understand how people can write Madrimov off like that because I think the Spence fight is going to be very tough,” Mendoza said.
People are writing Madrimov off because many have never seen him fight before and he hasn’t faced the same level of competition as Crawford. The fans don’t know him.
Plus, they’ve seen Crawford fight many times in the past and seen how good he looks. However, Crawford hasn’t fought anyone as talented as Madrimov, and that could be a problem considering his age and 13 months of inactivity.
“It’s a habit that you’ve created. So even if you say, ‘I’m going to take this seriously. I’m not going to drop my hand.’ It’s a habit that you’ve created over the years,” Mendoza said of Madrimov dropping his lead hand during the fight.
Madrimov’s habit of fighting with his lead hand down won’t be his biggest problem against Crawford. Crawford’s mobility, jab, and precision punches could be more of a problem.
It’s tough to hit him when he’s moving, and it’s only when Crawford stands still that he can be hit. Crawford often ties up opponents when they’re in range and then fights them in a clinch. If a fighter doesn’t know how to handle Crawford’s holding and grappling, it’s going to be tough.
“I hope these are the things he’s thinking about” [Madrimov] he works on that because he knows the caliber of fighter he’s fighting now and he respects that. So I hope he works on those kinds of things because Crawford will immediately benefit from them,” Mendoza said.
Madrimov fights mostly with a downward lead hand when he’s on the outside. He raises his hands and uses angles to avoid punches when he’s in range. He has Lomachenko’s foot movement, which makes it tough for him to land a punch.
In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
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