Terence Crawford may choose to face former undisputed light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol in the near future.
‘Bud’ Crawford wrote his name into the boxing history books once again on September 13 as he defeated Mexican great Canelo Alvarez to capture the undisputed super-middleweight championship at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Bivol also defeated Canelo back in 2022, and the 34-year-old achieved his career-long dream of winning the undisputed light-heavyweight championship earlier this year when he defeated countryman Artur Beterbiev in their second encounter on February 22.
One man that has had experience in sharing the ring with both Crawford and Bivol in recent years is former WBA super-welterweight champion Israil Madrimov, who has acted as a sparring partner for the Russian star.
‘Bud’ handed Uzbekistan-native Madrimov the first defeat of his career when they fought last August, dethroning him of his WBA world title at 154lbs in the process.
Speaking to BoxNation, Madrimov admitted that he believes Crawford will be making too much of a risk should he decide to move up to 175lbs to face Bivol, as he pays homage to the ‘brilliant style’ of the Russian star.
“Yes, I think it’s going to be too much if Terence wants to move up there. It’s too much weight, too much of a difference and the styles as knowing Bivol very well, it’s going to be a completely different story.
“You can’t fight Bivol, you can’t hit him back the way you can with Canelo, he has a brilliant amateur style, the in and outs and everything so it’s, in my opinion, too much.”
Bivol is currently recovering from back surgery that he had in August, although he is expected to make a return to the ring during the early stages of 2026, with rumours circulating that the highly anticipated trilogy bout with Artur Beterbiev will be next for him.
