Israil Madrimov isn’t concerned with anyone not giving him a chance to defeat Terence Crawford on Aug. 3 at the BMO Center in Los Angeles.
When I spoke with Madrimov, the regular WBA super welterweight champion, on Tuesday, July 16, he was confident in his abilities and respectful toward his upcoming opponent.
“It’s a fight against the toughest possible fighter and also all the obstacles around the fight,” Madrimov said via a translator during our interview. “All the people talking who’s this guy with 10 fights, he doesn’t belong there and this and that. That’s not something that bothers me. I’m mentally very stable about it and I know that if I’m given an opportunity then I deserve it, and I know what I had to go through to get here.”
You can watch the entire interview below.
Madrimov enjoyed a stellar amateur boxing career before turning professional in 2018. Since turning pro, he has amassed a 10-0-1 record, capturing the WBA title with a fifth-round TKO win over previously undefeated Magomed Kurbanov in March.
Madrimov has sent many American boxing fans to social media to find information on him. As fight fans become more acquainted with him, one common theme that is consistently mentioned is the Uzbekistani’s hulking physique.
Madrimov’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, reposted this X post from Mr. Neutral Corner, calling the champion “154 Drago,” referring to the hulking character Dolph Lundgren played in Rocky IV.
When looking at Madrimov’s physique, style, and the power he showed in his KO finish over Kurbanov, it is easy to imagine that his best path to victory over Crawford could be by KO.
I asked him if he felt he could win a decision against Crawford or if he thought he would need to stop him. “It’s boxing, you never know,” Madrimov replied. “One punch can change the direction of the fight and change anything. Whatever happens before that punch doesn’t matter. We both can deliver that punch and anything could happen, but as a professional, I already learned it in some of my fights that you cannot count on just knocking someone out. You always have to be prepared to go the distance to win the rounds and everything. And on my behalf, I’ll be ready to do whatever it takes to win. How are people and judges and everyone to think, that’s not something that I have powers over, so I’m going to do everything to win this fight no matter how it’s going to go.”
Crawford has a variety of options lined up if he can beat Madrimov. There’s a potential lucrative rematch with Errol Spence, a possible battle with current 147-pound champion Jaron Ennis–a man who has been calling him out on a regular basis–and an outside chance he could chase down a fight with Canelo Alvarez.
None of that will matter if Madrimov pulls off the upset.
At 36 years old, there is a chance Crawford could be coming to the end of the road as a fighter, but will Madrimov be the man who pushes him to that end?
