Terence Crawford defeated Israil Madrimov by unanimous choice to turn into a four-division world champion as Martin Bakole despatched a message to his heavyweight rivals with a surprising knockout win over Jared Anderson on Saturday.
Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) clinched the WBA tremendous welterweight title in his first struggle at 154 kilos, taking it 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 on the judges’ scorecards.
It was Crawford’s first struggle since stopping Errol Spence Jr in July 2023 to turn into the undisputed welterweight champion, having additionally gained titles at tremendous light-weight and light-weight.
Madrimov (10-1-1) acquitted himself properly on the highest-profile stage to this point for the 29-year-old from Uzbekistan.
The win doubtlessly traces up a blockbuster showdown between Crawford and Canelo Alvarez.
“You know what I say, if the money is right, we got to fight,” Crawford stated instantly after the struggle.
It began out as a cautious affair, with each fighters attempting to determine place and really feel out the opposite by means of the primary three rounds.
That strategy didn’t agree with the sold-out crowd at BMO Stadium. Having handled blazing temperatures and sunshine for many of the lengthy card on the outside dwelling of Main League Soccer group LAFC, they responded with jeers and whistles.
Crawford turned on the stress within the fourth spherical, simply lacking on a fierce proper hand within the closing seconds.
Madrimov was energised within the fifth spherical after Crawford slipped and ended up on his bottom, responding with a collection of aggressive punches to place the Nebraska native on the defensive.
That flurry despatched Crawford again right into a cautious posture for many of the subsequent two rounds earlier than touchdown a uncommon efficient mixture to the physique late within the seventh.
Madrimov re-established momentum with three straight proper palms to the face within the eighth spherical. Crawford landed a shot of his personal, forcing Madrimov to clench and break momentum and permitting him to come back again with a proper hook.
The motion picked up over the following two rounds, with each fighters seemingly attempting to land energy punches as a substitute of attempting to string collectively longer durations of management.
Crawford got here on within the final 30 seconds of the eleventh spherical. The flurry fuelled him and carried over to the twelfth and ultimate spherical as he pushed for a twelfth straight win by knockout. Each missed on wild throws within the ultimate minutes, but it surely was Crawford who emphatically raised each gloves within the air when the bout concluded.
Bakole stops Anderson
Bakole continued his march in the direction of the world’s main heavyweights as he halted the progress of American hope Anderson with an emphatic stoppage victory.
The 31-year-old dropped Anderson within the opening spherical with a fierce uppercut earlier than flooring him twice extra within the fifth till the referee was compelled to step in and wave off the struggle.
With the win Bakole strikes to 21-1 whereas handing Anderson the primary defeat of his skilled profession to go away him 17-1.
“You don’t stand with Martin Bakole. I am a big man and I am a machine,” stated Bakole in his interview within the ring post-fight.
“I’m a machine. I’m in this sport to take over. I want to be No 1. No one wants to fight me but with His Excellency [Turki Alashikh], I know that i can get any fight I want.”
Elsewhere on the night time Jose Valenzuela (14-2) gained the WBA tremendous light-weight title by cut up choice over Isaac Cruz (26-3-1) within the co-main occasion.
Valenzuela secured equivalent 116-112 scores from two judges, whereas Cruz acquired a 115-113 mark from the third.
Cruz stated afterwards he would push for an instantaneous rematch.
Jarrell Miller (27-1-2) in the meantime fought Andy Ruiz Jr (35-2-1) to a majority draw regardless of controlling the struggle earlier on the undercard.
One decide scored it 116-112 in Miller’s favour, whereas the opposite two every gave 114-114 tallies.
Ruiz, the previous heavyweight champion competing for the primary time since September 2022, stated within the post-fight interview that he broke his proper hand.
