Eddie Hearn’s Prediction: Israil Madrimov Lands to KO Crawford, Shock Title Prospects

Promoter Eddie Hearn is predicting that WBA junior middleweight champion Israel Madrimov will KO pound-for-pound fighter Terence Crawford on August 3 in their fight in Los Angeles.
If Hearn’s prediction comes true, it will ruin Crawford’s plans to be contested at 154 and move up to 168 against three-belt super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
Dangers of Skipping Weight Classes
It would be nice for Crawford to lose his first fight at 154, but it would show that weight classes exist for a reason. If a fighter moves up too many weight classes, they will eventually hit their ceiling and stop in a bumpy fashion.
Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) moved up to 154, aiming to become the undisputed champion in the thirdweight division, but he may be facing someone he can’t beat.
If Crawford wasn’t on such a run, he would take his time moving up to 154 and fight one of the contenders like Josh Kelly, Xander Zayas, Erickson Lubin, or Vergil Ortiz. If Crawford beats two or three of those fighters, he will be ready to challenge Madrimov.
Is Madrimov Crawford’s Kryptonite?
Picking Madrimor (10-0-1, 7 KOs) in his first 154 fight suggests to some that he sees him as an easy mark, and he could be a big surprise.
Crawford, a Nebraska native, will be out of action for 13 months. He was 37 a month after his fight with Madrimov in September. In terms of boxing skills, Crawford is probably better than Madrimov, but not when you consider age, strength, and experience in the weight class.
Madrimov, 29, is younger, has a bigger frame, and is much stronger than Crawford. Again, this is Madrimov’s weight class.
Crawford’s ineffectiveness is bad enough, but being old and inexperienced in the 154-lb weight class before challenging Madrimov could be a recipe for disaster.
Crawford basically cuts corners. He chose not to test Waters at junior middleweight to better prepare for this fight because his confidence is gone.
“Israil Madrimov will knock out Crawford on August 3,” said promoter Eddie Hearn on Secondsout, picking WBA junior middleweight champion Israel Madrimov to defeat challenger Terence Crawford by knockout on August 3 in Los Angeles.
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