Terence Crawford is set to challenge WBA super welterweight champion Israil Madrimov for his title on August 3 at the BMO Stadium in Inglewood, California. This highly anticipated bout is part of the Saudi-backed Riyadh Season initiative, which has been transforming matchmaking in boxing over the past two years. Turki Alalshikh, the face of the Saudi movement in boxing, has brought this event to the United States with an impressive lineup of fights.
The main event between Crawford and Madrimov has garnered a lot of attention from the boxing community, with many considering it to be one of the best fights in boxing history. The undercard for this event will feature former world champions Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares in their third meeting. Additionally, there will be other exciting matchups, such as a world title fight between Isaac Cruz and Jose Valenzuela, as well as Tim Tszyu facing Vergil Ortiz Jr. in a highly anticipated bout.
The event will also see heavyweight bouts between former champion Andy Ruiz and Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, as well as promising young fighter David Morrell making the move to light heavyweight. Andy Cruz and Antonio Moran will also face off in what is being touted as one of the biggest boxing cards in recent memory. This event marks the first American card in Riyadh Season, with the WBA announcing an agreement that could lead to more cross-promotional fights in the future.
Leading up to the August 3 event, there will be several other high-profile boxing matches taking place, including Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia, Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery, Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr., and Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury. The clash between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol is also scheduled for June 1, along with other major fights featuring Deontay Wilder, Filip Hrgovic, and Daniel DuBois. Overall, boxing fans have a lot to look forward to in the coming months.
With the resurgence of boxing in a major way, 2024 is shaping up to be a banner year for the sport. From high-profile matchups to cross-promotional agreements and international events, boxing is back in the spotlight. With fighters like Crawford, Madrimov, Tszyu, Ortiz, Morrell, and others set to compete in the upcoming months, the sport is thriving and attracting a new generation of fans. The Riyadh Season initiative has been a game-changer in boxing, bringing together top talent and creating unforgettable matchups for fans worldwide.
