Terence Crawford ekes out decision, becomes 4-weight champion

LOS ANGELES -- Terence Crawford scored a tightly contested unanimous decision victory over Israil Madrimov on Saturday at BMO Stadium to capture the WBA junior middleweight title.

Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), ESPN's No. 2 pound-for-pound boxer, prevailed by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 to become a four-division champion. ESPN scored it 115-114 from ringside.

It was Crawford's first distance fight since July 2016, when he outpointed Viktor Postol in a 140-pound title match. Crawford, an Omaha, Nebraska, native who will turn 37 next month, entered the ring riding an 11-fight knockout streak.

"Israil was a tough competitor," Crawford said. "I knew he was going to be tough. ... He's real strong, he's durable, he took a lot of good shots and he got me to Round 12. ... He had fast feet, good rhythm upstairs. ... He was waiting to counter me just like I was trying to counter him.

"He was disciplined; he didn't come in throwing wild shots like I intended him to. And he fought a good fight."

The bout was a tactical one from bell to bell and featured many difficult-to-score rounds. Crawford displayed the superior jab with his accurate lead right hand. Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOs) landed the cleaner, more effective shots. What the bout lacked, however, was consistent exchanges.

The pair rarely punched in combination, electing to mostly throw one punch at a time. For Madrimov, it was a looping overhand right that was his best weapon. He also missed wildly with that same shot multiple times.

Crawford always times his opponent sooner than later. Not on this night. Madrimov's awkward, herky-jerky movement presented problems for Crawford the entire fight.

Madrimov, 29, was able to keep his head off the line and presented a difficult target for Crawford's shots. However, Crawford was still able to score with his elite jab. He was behind on two scorecards entering the championship rounds and won them unanimously.

"Because he's fighting Terence Crawford, he doesn't get a shake," said Madrimov's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing. "All the effective punches came from Israil Madrimov. ... It was a super close fight. ... It was a fight that could have went either way."

Madrimov said he believed he did enough to win.

"I fought the best pound-for-pound tonight," he said through an interpreter. "I was holding myself back a lot too, so in the rematch, I can do more."

Madrimov might have been referring to his hesitancy to attack Crawford even when he pinned him in the corner. That occurred on numerous occasions as Madrimov feinted and feinted some more.

Madrimov emerged from the fight with a large mouse under his left eye, the product of Crawford's pinpoint jab. Madrimov also came away with something far more valuable: respect.

Madrimov was a +600 underdog, according to ESPN BET, yet he proved that he can hang on at the elite level in a serious jump in competition. It's unlikely he'll land the rematch, but he surely will be featured in plenty more notable fights.

Crawford, of course, finds himself at a far different stage of his career. He told ESPN in April that he isn't looking to fight much longer. After Saturday's bout, Crawford acknowledged he could feel the difference in his 154-pound debut.

Perhaps as important as the win was Crawford's return to the ring. The last time he fought twice in a year was in 2019. He was slated for a rematch with Errol Spence Jr. last year, but it didn't materialize even though Spence exercised the rematch clause.

That robbed Crawford of the opportunity to capitalize on his career-defining win, his nine-round destruction of Spence last July to earn the undisputed welterweight championship in one of the most anticipated fights in years.