Exciting Boxing Matchup in the Works as Champion Israil Madrimov Eyed to Face Terence Crawford
In a highly anticipated move, initial conversations have taken place to stage a World Boxing Association junior-middleweight title fight between champion Israil Madrimov and the unbeaten, three-division champion Terence Crawford. The potential bout is slated for August 3rd at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The event would mark the first American foray by Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, who has previously staged several major cards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Matchroom Boxing, led by Eddie Hearn, is set to handle the promotion, according to an individual familiar with the matter.
Madrimov, the 29-year-old Uzbekistan native who trains in Indio, California, captured the WBA belt on March 8th in Riyadh, defeating Magomed Kurbanov by a fifth-round TKO. The historic location of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which has hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics, adds further intrigue to the potential matchup.
The main event would mark Crawford’s attempt to capture a belt in a fourth weight class, having previously reigned as the undisputed welterweight and 140-pound champion. The undefeated American (40-0, 31 KOs) recently shared a photo on social media of himself standing in a ring with multiple championship belts, sparking speculation about his next challenge.
Alalshikh, who is preparing to stage the undisputed heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk on May 18th and the undisputed light-heavyweight championship fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol in Riyadh on June 1st, has demonstrated a keen interest in producing stacked cards. While the focus remains on finalizing the Crawford-Madrimov bout, the supporting fights are expected to feature an array of top-tier talent.
This potential showdown between the dominant champions Madrimov and Crawford promises to be a must-see event for boxing enthusiasts, combining high-stakes title implications with the allure of a historic venue. As the negotiations continue, fight fans eagerly await the official confirmation of this captivating clash.
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