A much bigger, smaller, and older-looking Terence Crawford confirmed off his kind right now, sparring retired Andre Ward within the closing 2 1/2 weeks of preparation for what is anticipated to be the hardest combat of his profession on August third towards WBA Junior middleweight Champion Israil Madrimov.
Most agree that this will likely be a tough combat for Crawford as a result of he’ll get hit with energy photographs by Madrimov, which he’s by no means skilled earlier than throughout his 16-year profession. Crawford has solely fought 4 instances since 2020, beating these guys:
– Errol Spence
– David Avanesyan
– Shawn Porter
– Kell Brook
These are tune-up-level fighters, and none of them are related to Crawford’s combat towards Madrimov on August third. These should not the kind of fighters you face in the event you’re about to combat ‘Little GGG’ in a match the place you’re going to get hit rather a lot.
The 12 months out of the ring since Crawford’s win over Errol Spence appears to have aged him as a result of he doesn’t look bodily like the identical man he was 12 months in the past.
Within the sparring footage, Crawford held his lead hand far out earlier than him, utilizing it to forestall Ward from getting shut. Japanese European fighters usually use that model, so Madrimov won’t have an issue determining the best way to overcome it.
Crawford should stand his floor to win this combat as a result of he can’t win by jabbing and retreating all night time, which he was doing within the sparring with Ward.
Coaching with 40-year-old, out-of-shape-looking former two-division world champion Ward isn’t the perfect technique to put together for Madrimov as a result of they’re two totally different fighters. Madrimov is younger at 29, shorter than Ward, trim, a a lot greater puncher, and has an Japanese European model.
Ward’s expertise with an older model of Sergiy Kovalev gained’t assist Crawford put together for Madrimov as a result of he doesn’t combat like him.
Nobody is aware of what to anticipate from Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs). He appeared older from being out of the ring for a 12 months, and he’s bulked as much as get to 154 to face the large puncher Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs).
“I get some rounds with one of many GOATs. Two GOATS,” stated Terence Crawford on social media, speaking about his sparring with an out-of-shape-looking 40-year-old Andre Ward in getting ready for the 29-year-old phenom Israil Madrimov on August third.
Crawford hasn’t overwhelmed anybody aside from a pale Errol Spence Jr. for him to be thought of one of many biggest of all time. Giving himself a self-label of GOAT is pretentious on his half as a result of he solely has the automotive crash-wrecked Spence on his 16-year resume. The remainder of the names are guys Kell Brook, Amir Khan, and Shawn Porter. They have been all outdated by the point Crawford fought them.
Ward wasn’t a GOAT as a result of he solely had wins over an outdated Kovalev, and each of these have been controversial. He misplaced the primary combat within the eyes of many followers, and within the second, he was given a questionable stoppage win after showing to hit Kovalev with repeated low blows.
I watched the combat stay and counted three consecutive low blows, which the referee, Tony Weeks, missed. Ward retired with out combating Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, which probably wouldn’t have ended badly for him if he’d fought them.
