SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Eddie Hearn got another taste of Terence Crawford’s competitiveness Wednesday when the unbeaten three-division champion settled a prior dispute with the promoter by defeating him in darts.
“To be honest with you, I really, really like Terence Crawford. He’s got such a good heart, and he’s such a good person,” Hearn said. “He’s a winner.”
What stumps Hearn is how this long-time occupant of the No. 1 spot in boxing’s pound-for-pound rankings – a wondrous talent who’s achieved the rarity of standing as an undisputed champion in two divisions – is not as popular as his accomplishments indicate he should be.
The 36-year-old Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) is coming off the defining victory of his career – a ninth-round TKO of previously unbeaten three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. one year ago this week – and may be headed to an even bigger showdown with recently undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez if both win their upcoming bouts.
First, Crawford needs to dethrone Uzbekistan’s new World Boxing Association junior-middleweight champion Israil Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) Saturday at BMO Stadium in the main event of a DAZN/PPV.com card in Los Angeles.
While Crawford’s friend Eminem is coming to perform a set of songs before the fighter enters the ring seeking the fourth division belt, there’s an expectation that the most supported fighters on the card will be Mexican 140-pound champion Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr.
Hearn wonders why there’s a disconnect.
“One of the problems in boxing in America is that the public doesn’t get an opportunity to see what the individual is like, and I feel if people got to see Terence Crawford and what he stood for – the way he lives his life, the way he works, the way he respects the game and the way he raises his kids, in their athletics and wrestling, that should be championed,” England’s Hearn said.
“I don’t really understand why, in your country, you don’t champion him more. Obviously, people aren’t promoting him the right way. People aren’t pushing him. If I promoted Terence Crawford, I’d want all of America to know this guy. And I think you’d love him.
“We love him in boxing, he’s still a star, but I just feel like he’s not (a crossover star). Just because he’s not screaming, (swearing), shouting … he’s a role model.”
That said, as Madrimov’s promoter, Matchroom’s Hearn added not so subtly, “He (Crawford) might get beat Saturday.
“I know he’s a big favorite and Madrimov’s up against it, but I promise you, he’s so up for this. This is such a dangerous fight. If I were promoting Terence Crawford, I’d be shitting myself right now over this fight, looking at Israil Madrimov and going, ‘Fuck me, this dude is for real.’
“But Terence is brilliant and he’s very hard to beat.”
Hearn says the matchup reminds him of when the lighter, mega-talent Alvarez tried moving back up to light-heavyweight two years ago to fight a prime 175-pound champion, Dmitrii Bivol, and was defeated by decision, as his power punchers inflicted no real wear on Bivol.
“A little bit… people respect Bivol and Madrimov and think they’re both great fighters. They just didn’t think Bivol could beat Canelo, and, to be honest, he did it with ease, quite comfortably,” Hearn said.
“I’m not saying Madrimov wins with ease. What I’m saying is this is going to be a lot more competitive than people think, and I think it’s going to be the toughest fight of (Crawford’s) career so far.”