TERENCE CRAWFORD’S trainer Brian “BoMac” McIntyre had a message for the super-welterweight division when he spoke to Boxing News in New York yesterday (April 24).
The 154lb class now has the former undisputed super-lightweight and welterweight champion in its ranks. And Crawford’s debut in the division comes on August 3 against WBA titlist Israil Madrimov, 10-0-1 (7). Their headline fight at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles brings a Riyadh Season event to America for the first time.
Crawford, 40-0 (31), and McIntyre are gunning for undisputed glory at a third weight and the latter had this to say to every champion and contender at 154lbs.
“All the ’54 pounders we putting y’all on notice. I’m telling you right now. Coming to collect all those belts so either get you a fight and say you busy or vacated cuz we coming.”
Sebastian Fundora staked his claim as the best in the division when he beat the fearsome Aussie Tim Tszyu on March 30 in Las Vegas. Fundora’s split-decision win came not without a price, however, with both men covered in blood after various cuts suffered during their gruelling bout.
Tszyu joins Madrimov and Crawford on the August 3 card with another thriller-in-waiting against the unbeaten and hard-hitting Vergil Ortiz Jr who first faces veteran Thomas Dulorme on Saturday (April 27) in Fresno.
The IBF belt is now in the hands of Bakhram Murtazaliev after he knocked out Jack Culcay on April 6 in Germany and while he is seen as the weakest of the champions there is a strong argument to be made for Madrimov as the best of the current titleholders.
“He brings a lot to the table as far as power and speed,” McIntyre said.
“I know he only got 11 fights, but he got a shitload of amateur fights. He’s dangerous. They call him the Triple G of ’54 so we got a lot stacked against us.”