Terence Crawford secured his fourth world title in different weight classes by defeating Israil Madrimov to win the WBA light-middleweight crown in Los Angeles.
The 36-year-old American achieved a unanimous decision at the BMO Stadium, extending his unbeaten record to 41 fights. Formerly a lightweight world champion and undisputed champion at light-welterweight and welterweight, Crawford triumphed with scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 on the judges’ cards.
This defeat marks the first loss in the 11-fight career of 29-year-old Uzbek Madrimov.
“Israil was a tough competitor,” Crawford acknowledged, noting that he hadn’t been taken to 12 rounds since 2016. “He’s strong and durable. He took a lot of good shots and got me to round 12. He had fast speed and good rhythm. He was disciplined and fought well.”
Crawford emphasized his strategic approach, saying, “I was being patient. I didn’t want to rush in and get caught.”
Crawford’s victory opens the door for a potential bout with Mexico’s super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez. “If the money is right, we’ve got to fight,” Crawford declared.
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