In a bold warning to his recent opponent, Israil Madrimov believes Terence “Bud” Crawford has a “50-50” shot at defeating Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on September 13th, but only if he hasn’t bulked up for the fight. In a recent interview, Madrimov shared his concern that if Crawford has added a lot of muscle, he’ll lose the high-stakes bout.
The Uzbek boxer, who Crawford defeated by unanimous decision in a challenging contest in 2024, believes the weight gain would be a fatal mistake.
Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) reportedly looks bulked up, now resembling a super middleweight as he prepares to move up two weight classes to challenge Canelo for the undisputed super middleweight title at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Crawford’s critical error
“If Terence is going to be himself and weigh in under the 168 limit and just being himself, I see it as a 50-50 fight,”Madrimov said to Fight Hub TV. “But if he’s going to gain weight and if he’s going to try to compete with Canelo where Canelo is good at and strong, then I see Canelo as a favorite.”
According to Madrimov, Crawford should have remained light to utilize his speed and intelligence, which he says are his greatest assets. Nevertheless he praised Crawford’sboxing prowess, calling him “perhaps the highest IQ boxer in the world.”
A clash of styles
Madrimov noted that Crawford has all the tools, including the ability to switch stances and fight with power. However, he also acknowledged Canelo’s ability to “box for 12 rounds” and adjust to any opponent.
While the “whole world is watching” this unexpected matchup, Madrimov said he is not at a stage in his career to help Crawford prepare, and in his opinion, it wouldn’t even be helpful, as their fighting styles are too different. Madrimov’s warning serves as a final word of advice to Crawford as he enters one of the most significant fights of his career.
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