When Dmitry Bivol jabbed his way to victory against Canelo Alvarez in 2022, one man was behind the tectonic win: Israil Madrimov. The fighter put in sweat and blood and helped his fellow stablemate amass a win against the “number 1 boxer in the world,” which is still fresh in the fans’ minds. So, how did the Uzbek fighter do it?

Madrimov, 29, has swayed the fans and pundits with his sturdiness and toughness, and when his promotional teammate, Bivol, came calling for him, he didn’t hesitate to help him. He soon picked up the gloves and sparred with the Russian champion in the camp, which bore fruit. Going down memory lane in a conversation with Snow Queen LA, the WBA middleweight champion expressed his pleasure about how the scenario played out.

Madrimov said, “I helped Bivol in camp for Canelo. Bivol is considered a P4P fighter now. I’m glad I was able to help him out. It was a pleasure for me to play such a role in our team to secure the victory over number 1 boxer in the world.” But how did the 10-0-1 record holder do it? It’s because of their similar stature and boxing style. “We have the same height & throw similar punches. That’s why I helped Bivol in with that fight,” Madrimov added.

In return, Bivol has also made himself available whenever the Khiva native has needed him to help prepare for a fight. He might help Madrimov with the toughest fight of the latter, as ‘The Dream’ defends his middleweight strap against Terence Crawford on Saturday, August 3, in a mouth-watering contest for fans. While many are backing ‘Bud’ to pocket the win, Eddie Hearn believes the American boxer is in for a rude awakening, which will spoil HE Turki Alalshikh‘s plans.

Eddie Hearn backs Israil Madrimov to do the unthinkable

Every fan is hyped up for what follows next for Crawford, a fight with Alvarez or Jaron Ennis. However, the British promoter has doubts about it. Citing Madrimov’s qualities, such as his repute as a hard puncher, his swift legs, good boxing IQ, and a splendid amateur boxing record, he declared in a recent interview, “Israil Madrimov, I think, is the toughest test so far of his [Terence Crawford] career, up at 154… This is a real, real fight.”

It remains to be seen when the boxers will collide at BMO Stadium in LA, a card curated and managed by HE Alalshikh, whether Crawford will successfully shield his undefeated record and move on to bigger fights. Madrimov, on the other hand, looks to solidify his grip on the 154-pound division.

What do you make of these comments by Israil Madrimov? Do you believe he has what it takes to bag a win against Terence Crawford? Let us know in the comments below.