Terence Crawford secured the WBA super welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Israil Madrimov on Saturday night. This win marks a significant milestone for Crawford, who has now claimed world boxing championships in four different weight divisions.
Despite expectations of a more dominant performance, the bout was closely contested. The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favor of Crawford, marking the first time in 12 fights that he did not win by stoppage. This streak dated back to 2016.
“Israil was a tough competitor,” Crawford said after the fight. “... Real strong, durable. Took a lot of good shots.”
The fight, which took place without any knockdowns or serious injuries to either fighter, lacked the explosive exchanges or memorable punches often associated with Crawford's bouts. Madrimov, confident in his performance, expressed his belief that he had done enough to win.
“I was controlling the rhythm and I felt very comfortable inside the ring,” Madrimov said through a translator. “I believe I did really well and that at least I deserve the rematch.”
Crawford, now 36 years old, improved his record to 41-0, while the 29-year-old Madrimov from Uzbekistan experienced his first professional defeat, falling to 10-1-1.
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