Terence Crawford has just won a world title in a fourth weight class at the first time of asking.
Having already become the undisputed champion in two divisions and a champion in a third, ‘Bud’ continues to add to his legacy by challenging bigger men.
The American pound-for-pound ruler once again proved his supremacy at the BMO Arena in Los Angeles this past weekend, though it was a tougher fight than many expected.
Former WBA super-welterweight champion Israil Madrimov is an experienced amateur who has had just 11 bouts in the pro ranks, winning 10 and drawing one, but has skills that go way beyond that record.
There was plenty of back and forth action in the fight, with Madrimov’s fleetness of foot and head movement not allowing Crawford much time to settle into a rhythm, though the Omaha native did start having the better of the exchanges as the fight progressed.
At the conclusion of the 12 rounds, he ran out as a unanimous winner thanks to cards that read 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 all in his favour, ending his 11-fight knockout streak but gaining the belt.
One onlooker in Teofimo Lopez, the former unified lightweight champion and now 140 titlist, told Seconds Out he was not impressed with what he saw.
“Give me Crawford. He called me trash. What do y’all think? That was some trash effort fight. He didn’t even stop this dude who had 11 fights.”
A fight with Lopez at 147 could be a possibility but given Crawford has already cleaned up all the belts in that division once he is more likely to pursue a much bigger fight with undisputed super-middleweight king Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Lopez has said previously that he would be willing to meat ‘Bud’ at 154.
