Eddie Hearn says he’ll let Israil Madrimov “off the leash” on Saturday night time to go after Terence Crawford and tear him to items on the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
(Picture credit score: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)’
Madrimov’s Energy Poses a Risk to Crawford
Hearn doesn’t know the way effectively Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) will maintain up beneath the ability photographs from the largest puncher at 154, however we’ll discover out when he makes his debut within the headliner reside on DAZN PPV.
If Crawford’s chin can’t maintain as much as the Uzebek energy at 154, Hearn doubts he’ll keep round for lengthy as a result of he’ll be getting hit so much on this combat.
Crawford was hit a bit in his final combat in opposition to Errol Spence a yr in the past, in July 2023, however he isn’t the puncher that Madrimov is. Spence didn’t look his greatest in that combat and was knocked out within the ninth spherical.
It received’t be the tip of the world for Crawford if he loses to Madrimov as a result of he can transfer again all the way down to 147 or keep at 154 and goal the opposite champions. He’d nonetheless be standard sufficient to select and select whoever he wished to combat, and that match would occur.
The true draw back of Crawford shedding to Madrimov is that he would seemingly lose out on the Canelo Alvarez combat except His Excellency Turki Alalshkih wished to make that combat nonetheless.
“You must have a horse within the race to win that race, and that’s Israil Madrimov,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to the media about his fighter, WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov, who places his title on the road in opposition to the skilled Terence Crawford on Saturday night time.
“If he have been a man who wasn’t an enormous puncher, if he didn’t have nice footwork, if he wasn’t actually sensible and had an ideal string IQ, if he wasn’t teak powerful with a granite chin, yeah, I’d be involved.”
The facility that Madrimov has provides him an opportunity on this combat as a result of all he must do is land on Crawford, and he’s acquired an opportunity of successful.
“I’m actually excited for this combat as a result of you possibly can let the child [Madrimov] off the leash. ‘Go on then.’ Since he turned professional and so they’ve been with us, they wished to combat for a world title of their third combat.
“We couldn’t get anyone to combat him as a result of he was knocking all people out, and all people knew within the gyms how good he was. I by no means anticipated the bounce to be Terence Crawford, however it’s right here,” mentioned Hearn.
Hopefully, Madrimov will be capable of discover guys at 154 that might be prepared to combat him after Saturday night time as a result of he wont develop into a star with out going through large names.
“I do assume he punches tougher than Terence Crawford,” mentioned Hearn when requested if there’s something that he believes Madrimov does higher than Crawford. “Chin at 154? I suppose we’ll discover out on Saturday as a result of he’s going to land on Terence Crawford. ”
It’s fairly apparent that Madrimov punches tougher than Crawford. The Nebraska native may not need to admit it, however Madrimov is clearly a tougher puncher.
Crawford’s Celebrity Potential
“What I mentioned up there. He [Crawford] ought to be an American celebrity as a result of have a look at how he lives his life. He’s a correct gentleman,” mentioned Hearn.
It takes greater than Crawford dwelling a clear life for him to develop into a celebrity within the U.S. You must possess these components to develop into a star in America:
- An entertaining combating fashion
- Battle regularly,
- Possess charisma
- A powerful social media presence
Crawford doesn’t have any of these issues going for him, so he’s about to show 37 and isn’t a star. He’s paid effectively, however he’s not a star.
