“Well, it’s not a priority but it’s up in the air (with regard to chasing the undisputed title at 154 pounds). You gotta understand, its potentially two belts on the line. If Fundora don’t fight me after this, then I’m WBO & WBA champion. If he do fight me, then that’s three belts on the line. There’s only one more to catch. Potentially, two -three fights, that’s undisputed”- Terence Crawford

Unified welterweight champion Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs), who hasn’t fought since brutally beating Errol Spence Jr (28-1, 22 KOs) in July 2023, is now scheduled to return, but this time at the junior middleweight division. His fight on August 3 will be against Israil Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs), not only at a new weight class but also for a full (WBA) and interim (WBO) title. The 36-year-old Crawford wasted months waiting to see if the Spence rematch would occur, and when the contracted time window passed, Crawford decided to move on to bigger fish, which was one division north of welterweight.

As Crawford mentioned, if he wins in August and Sebastian Fundora does not fight him by December 31, he becomes the full WBO champion. Currently, Fundora is not scheduled to return until September as he suffered a broken nose in that war against Tim Tszyu. Speaking of Tszyu, he will be on the Crawford vs Madrimov card as he is scheduled to face Vergil Ortiz Jr if Ortiz gets by his opponent on Saturday. It’s boxing, so you never know, but Ortiz should pick up the win and head towards a potentially explosive battle with Tszyu.

These scenarios are only possible after the lineal champion Jermell Charlo failed to fight his mandatories with the sanctioning bodies stripping him one by one of his titles. There are opportunities for Charlo to get a shot at any of the titles but only time will tell if that ends up being the case, as he hasn’t been seen or heard from since his shutout loss to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in September.

There is a path where Crawford can become undisputed in his third weight class, which would be historical, but if Charlo becomes too much of a roadblock with the business part of it, then Crawford will continue to look for the biggest fights available, and that may end up being Canelo at some point. Although Canelo said he has nothing to gain from fighting Crawford, it may come to a point where Crawford becomes an offer that is too rich to pass up, especially if it comes from Turki Alalshikh.

Crawford has already arguably become one of the best fighters of this era, but the course he is on now, if successful, will see him leave the pack and without a doubt, become the best fighter of this era. Can Crawford do it? The eye test says he can, but he must first get past Madrimov in August before continuing his quest to either take over the division and become undisputed or take the biggest fights available from 154-168 pounds before retiring.

The World Boxing Association has confirmed that Terence Crawford (40-0, 30 KOs) will be allowed to retain his WBA welterweight title ahead of his pursuit of the organization’s junior middleweight crown in a matchup with Israil Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) on Aug. 3 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

Crawford-Madrimov was officially confirmed by Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, at a press conference in New York on Wednesday.

The Aug. 3 event will be Alalshikh’s first venture into boxing outside of Saudi Arabia.

Crawford currently holds three of the four world welterweight titles and had made no secret of his intentions to move up to super welterweight after the collapse of a contractually obligated rematch with Errol Spence Jr., whom Crawford beat last year to become undisputed champion.

Madrimov claimed the then-vacant title last month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a fifth-round stoppage of Magomed Kurbanov.

Jermell Charlo, the former undisputed champion at 154 pounds, previously held the WBA title. He was undisputed until last September, before his unsuccessful 168-pound title challenge of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, with the WBO stripping Charlo on the day of the fight.

The WBA officially stripped Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) of the WBA title in March but still made him “champion in recess,” effectively giving Charlo the freedom to choose when to call for an immediate title opportunity for his old belt.

As reports circulated last week regarding Crawford’s upcoming contest with Madrimov, Charlo promoter Tom Brown wrote to the WBA explaining that his fighter would be returning at junior middleweight and that he was open to fighting Madrimov for his title.

After Wednesday’s confirmation of Crawford-Madrimov, the WBA published an official notice to clarify the situation at 154 pounds.

Crawford, if successful in claiming the WBA junior middleweight world title, will have five days to decide which weight class he wishes to continue in due to the rule prohibiting world titles being held in two separate weight classes.

The WBA also confirmed that the winner of Crawford-Madrimov would have to face the sanctioning body’s current mandatory challenger, Vergil Ortiz Jr. (20-0, 20 KOs).

Ortiz is scheduled to feature on the Crawford-Madrimov card against Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs), with the WBA interim junior middleweight title added to that fight as an extra bauble for the winner.

The WBA also ratified Charlo’s status as “champion in recess” in the official resolution.

The resolution in full, published by the WBA: 

“With the official announcement of the bout between Israil Madrimov and Terence Crawford, the World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee issued a resolution on the special permission Crawford received to move up in class and the [junior middleweight] situation. 

“Crawford, who is the [junior middleweight champion], will move up to the next division to challenge champion Madrimov on August 3, in Los Angeles. The American requested the permission to move up and keep the welterweight crown and the committee granted it provided that if he beats Madrimov he will have five days after the fight to make a decision about which title he will keep.

“On the other hand, Vergil Ortiz Jr., is the mandatory challenger of the category, and for that reason will be given the opportunity to dispute the interim belt against Australian Tim Tzsyu. 

“Additionally, Jermell Charlo was ratified as champion in recess, the American will have the right to face the winner of Madrimov-Crawford or Madrimov in case that fight ends in a draw. 

“The body formally informed all those involved in the situation, who are obliged to know the WBA rules. This resolution annuls all the previous ones while any situation that may arise will be resolved through the interpretation of the rules.”

Terence Crawford exchanged words with Eddie Hearn, vowing to beat another one of his fighters.

On Wednesday, ‘Bud’ announced that his return to the ring will come against undefeated WBA super-welterweight world champion Israil Madrimov on August 3 in Los Angeles

Crawford spoke at a press conference to confirm his first bout since beating Errol Spence in July 2023, and came face-to-face with Madrimov’s promoter Hearn.

Hearn began by suggesting Crawford could come unstuck against Madrimov, in his debut at the new weight of 154lbs.

And in a devious exchange with the Matchroom kingpin, Crawford vowed: “You are going to get heartbroken again.”

It was an ice-cold moment from Crawford who laughed with Hearn, but is clearly keen to once again assert his name at the top of the pound-for-pound list.

Hearn had a different view, and quickly responded: “My heart’s been broken before.

“You broke my heart in Glasgow once [with Ricky Burns], and with [Julius] Indongo so hopefully we can reverse the roles this time.

“As I said all the respect and credit but let’s make one thing clear. They know it, this guy [Madrimov] is for real.

“And BoMac [Crawford’s trainer Bran McIntyre] is absolutely right, he [Madrimov] is the best 154lbs fighter in the world.”

Crawford has already been up against Hearn on previous occasions, when he promoted Ricky Burns, who was beaten by the American in Glasgow in March 2014.

The 36-year-old also got the better of Hearn, who co-promoted Indongo’s undisputed title defeat to ‘Bud’ in August 2017.

In the present day, Crawford is considered a pound-for-pound great, and will look to become a world champion in a fourth weight class.

The champion looks in sensational shape having added on the weight comfortably to make the 7lbs switch to 154lbs.

A win for Crawford would not only crown him WBA champion, but he will become WBO interim champion and will be in line for a shot at champion Sebastian Fundora next.

A super fight with Canelo Alvarez has been teased down the line if Crawford is able to make the leap all the way up to 168lbs.

Terence Crawford is looking to cement his boxing legacy and become a world champion at a fourth different weight. The unbeaten American boxer confirmed that he will take on light-middleweight world champion Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles in August in a mouthwatering encounter. The 36-year-old has won all of his 40 professional fights including a stunning victory over Errol Spence Jr in July.