Madrimov fought Terence Crawford in August 2024 and lost by unanimous decision. He said Crawford talked less about future fights and more about training camps ending, the wear and tear piling up and the fact that he no longer needs boxing to support himself. That combination, Madrimov believes, separates Crawford from most fighters who walk away only to come back.
“Before he announced his retirement, we met and he told me he was done,” Madrimov told The Ring. “He said he was tired of the sport and he wasn’t chasing money. I thought maybe he was just saying it and a big offer would change things. But he said no. I believe him.”
Crawford retired undefeated after 42 fights, with 31 stoppages, and left as the Ring’s #1 pound-for-pound fighter. His last fight took place on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where he outpointed Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to become a fully unified third division champion, a feat no male boxer had achieved before. It was a clean exit, timed at the top, and it removed most of the usual reasons to continue.
Madrimov made no secret of his respect, but the substance of his comments was not praise. It was a certainty. He said Crawford was concerned about his record, his health and leaving without giving the sport a chance to salvage something.
Madrimov returns to the ring on January 24 in Las Vegas after an 11-month absence. Surgeries on his left shoulder and left knee sidelined him after his loss to Vergil Ortiz Jr. last February. He faces David Salazar in a 10-round fight on the Raymond Muratalla vs. Andy Cruz undercard at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, with DAZN broadcasting the card.
Most fighters say they’re done, but very few seem to think so. Crawford appears to be one of them.