Crawford Tells Teofimo To Beat Madrimov Before They Can Fight
Terence Crawford told Tefimo Lopez to beat Israil Madrimov if he wanted to secure a fight with him.
Lopez has been chasing a fight with Crawford following his victory against Steve Claggett in his last fight. He defeated Claggett by a unanimous decision to defend his WBO Junior Welterweight Title. He confirmed that he wanted to fight Crawford, who currently fights at 154 pounds. Bud is coming off a victory against Israil Madrimov in his first fight at that weight class, as he won the WBA Belt. The victory made him a four-weight champion, solidifying his position as one of the best P4P fighters in the world. The Madrimov fight was not easy, given that Bud was hit more than he is accustomed to.
Eddie Hearn also felt that the scorecards were a lot closer than what the judges had given. Crawford has been chasing a lucrative fight with Canelo Alvarez that would require him to move up two weight classes to fight at super middleweight. The fight has not gained traction, leaving Lopez with an opportunity to get Bud. But before that can happen, Crawford wants to see him beat Madrimov to show his seriousness.
Crawford Reacts
Nevertheless, the chances of that happening are unlikely. Crawford, equally, is unlikely to fight other super middleweights before taking on a potential fight with Canelo. He could easily take on Jaime Munguia or Christian Mbilli, who are also seen as the other top super middleweights in the division. Crawford is chasing a legacy fight and a big payday, which Lopez is also doing. Lopez knows that a win over Crawford puts him as a two-weight undisputed champion on his resume.
Lopez may also feel that Crawford is not the same fighter he was. He is 37 years old and at the latter end of his career. It is also a big risk to move up two weight classes. Fighters have shown previously that they are not the same when they have done that. Jermell Charlo did the same when he moved up to weight divisions from 154 pounds to face Canelo. He lost in a one-sided unanimous decision defeat, as Canelo could walk down his opponent at will.
Charlo has not fought since last year, as question marks remain over whether we will see him box again. There is also the suggestion that he may not return to 154 pounds. Dropping down from 168 is going to be a tough task. Lopez is also at the prime of his career, meaning he does not need to take too many risks. He could easily fight at 147 and target a fight with the WBC Welterweight Champion Mario Barrios. Mario is seen as the weakest champion at that weight division. But if he is serious about facing Crawford, he may have to take that risk.
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