Terence Crawford, boxing’s pound-for-pound king, is set to fight Israin Madrimov, an experienced 29-year-old fighter from Uzbekistan with an impressive record of 370 amateur fights and the WBA super welterweight title. Crawford is looking to secure a title in a fourth weight division, setting the stage for a potential showdown with Canelo Alvarez.
In other action, Martin Bakole defeated Jared Anderson by TKO, dropping Anderson three times before the referee stopped the fight in the fifth round. Bakole improved to 21-1 while Anderson suffered his first loss, falling to 17-1.
David Morrell displayed superior power to win against Radivoje Kalajdzic by unanimous decision in their WBA light heavyweight fight. The judges scored it 118-110, 117-111, 117-111. Morrell called out undefeated light heavyweight David Benavidez, improving his record to 11-0 as Kalajdzic fell to 29-3.
In another bout, Andy Cruz overcame Antonio Moran with a seventh-round knockout. Despite his limited professional experience, Cruz demonstrated why he’s a promising prospect by securing a decisive victory.
Steven Nelson secured a fifth-round TKO victory over Marcos Ramon Vazquez, dropping him twice in the third round and finishing him off in the fifth. Nelson’s record now stands at 20-0, while Vazquez fell to 20-1-1.
Ziyad Almaayouf and Michael Bulik fought to a majority draw, with one judge scoring it 59-55 in favor of Bulik and the other two at 57-57. Despite Bulik laughing in the ring before the introductions, he managed to hold his own against Almaayouf, who entered the fight undefeated at 5-0.
Terence Crawford is eyeing a match against Canelo Alvarez, moving up to 154 pounds to fight Madrimov. This move is seen as a strategic step towards securing a legacy-defining fight.
The fight card includes:
– Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov, super welterweight
– Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Jarrell Miller, heavyweight
– Jared Anderson vs. Martin Bakole, heavyweight
– Isaac Cruz vs. Jose Valenzuela, super lightweight
– David Morrell vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic, light heavyweight
– Andy Cruz vs. Antonio Moran, lightweight
– Steven Nelson vs. Marcos Ramon Vazquez, super middleweight
– Ziyad Almaayouf vs. Michal Bulik, welterweight
Predictions vary, with some experts favoring Crawford and others suggesting Madrimov could pull off an upset. The card begins at 4:30 p.m. ET, available on DAZN for $79.99 plus a one-month subscription.