Ismail Madrimov’s coach, Joel Diaz, predicts that he’ll determine Terence Crawford by the fifth or sixth spherical after which damage him with one thing massive this Saturday, August third, of their match in Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season occasion in Los Angeles.
Diaz says WBA junior middleweight champion Madrimov (10-0-1, 9 KOs) has been hurting his speedy southpaw sparring companions whereas sporting 16 ozgloves in camp, making ready for Crawford (40-0, 31 KO’s) for his or her twelve-round contest on the BMO Stadium.
Crawford’s Transfer to 154
Joel notes that the 36-year-old Crawford has excelled at 140 and 147, but it surely’s going to be a unique story shifting as much as 154 to tackle Madrimov, who not solely can punch like nobody Terence has fought earlier than but additionally has an analogous fashion to him.
There are a variety of query marks about Crawford going into this struggle as a result of he’s not solely going up in weight but additionally coming off an extended layoff of 13 months, and he’s positively not younger. It appears to some that Crawford is combating for the fallacious causes at this stage of his 16-year skilled profession, specializing in his need for cash.
Earlier than combating Errol Spence final 12 months, Crawford appeared extra bold, however now he appears money-hungry, and one will get the sense there’s a touch of greed behind all of it. That’s not good as a result of when fighters are pushed only for cash late of their careers, they battle.
“He was a 140-pounder and he was nice. He confirmed how good of a fighter he was at 140. He moved to 147 and did a variety of injury there,” mentioned coach Joel Diaz to Battle Hub TV, speaking about Terence Crawford shifting as much as 154 this Saturday night time towards Israil Madrimov.
Crawford by no means fought any killers at 140 or 147, and that’s the issue. When he fought in these weight lessons, it was earlier than the proficient fighters round. He selected to not struggle the younger lion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis at 147, which some noticed as a transparent duck, to make sure the Philadelphia native didn’t mess up his pursuit of a Canelo Alvarez payday struggle.
“How is he going to react at 154 towards a strong 154-pounder,” Diaz continued about Crawford. “Lots of people don’t know Israil Madrimov. I completely perceive lots of people saying it’s a straightforward struggle for Crawford.”
We don’t know the way Crawford will react when he feels the facility of Madrimov’s photographs as a result of he’s by no means fought anybody close to that 29-year-old’s energy degree.
Except Crawford scores an early knockout of Madrimov, he will probably be getting hit onerous by him in some unspecified time in the future, and if his chin can’t deal with these photographs, all his expertise and accomplishments from the previous received’t assist him.
“I’d in all probability be the identical as all these individuals if I didn’t know who Israil Madrimov is. He had over 300 beginner fights. He has a variety of expertise. He’s run into fighters with an analogous fashion as Crawford,” mentioned Diaz.
Informal boxing followers really feel this will probably be a straightforward struggle for Crawford, however that’s as a result of they’re ignorant about Madrimov. Even some hardcore boxing followers haven’t taken the time to observe his fights to offer an correct evaluation of what he can do to Crawford.
“His ring IQ is above a variety of fighters,” Diaz mentioned about Crawford. “Israil can change lefty and righty similar to Crawford. We’ve been practising for each, lefty and righty. If Terence Crawford tries to smother you, keep composed.”
Crawford’s switch-hitting in his fights doesn’t assist him, but it surely will get the commentators on tv to rave about him. He’s higher when he’s combating within the orthodox stand and wastes time when he switches to southpaw. It’s all for certain, however with little substance.
Potential for an Early Knockout
“We’ve got to make changes. Spherical by spherical, issues can change. We’re going to see a technical struggle within the early rounds till we determine Crawford,” mentioned Diaz about Madrimov. “By the fifth or sixth spherical, as soon as Israil has his timing and distance, he can damage him as a result of I’ve seen it in sparring.”
If Diaz is correct about Madrimov hurting Crawford by the fifth or sixth spherical, we might see an early night time on Saturday and lots of upset followers of the Nebraska native.
I’m simply questioning how His Excellency Turki will deal with it, seeing Crawford lose as a result of he’s been excessive on him, speaking up a match towards Canelo.
“I’ve introduced in some quick, technical lefties, and Israil would do his factor to the purpose the place you can see these punches that he was touchdown might do some injury. He was sporting 16 ozgloves in sparring. With 10 ozgloves, he’s very explosive, and he’s very unpredictable. He catches you with a variety of punches, and people punches do a variety of injury. Israil can go 15 rounds, no issues,” mentioned Diaz.
Madrimov’s energy could possibly be an actual downside for Crawford on Saturday night time if he’s in a position to land his photographs on him like he did his final opponent Magomed Kurbanov.
