Unified welterweight champion Terence Crawford is expected to confirm his most to super-welterweight imminently to work with Saudi chief Turki Alalshikh, but the fight is expected to create history for Saudi Arabia due to a shock twist.
Crawford was last in action in July, where he put on a masterclass to stop Errol Spence Jr, becoming undisputed champion in the process.
It was recently reported that ‘Bud’ would step up to 154lbs to challenge for the WBA title against Israil Madrimov, but doubts started to appear if that would be the case after Jermell Charlo’s intervention.
Charlo was ‘champion in recess’ with the WBA, and was set to invoke his status to return to the division and potentially get in the way of a potential Madrimov-Crawford showdown.
That problem appears to have been resolved though, as ESPN report that Crawford vs. Madrimov is now a done deal, and is expected to be formally announced during a press conference in New York on Wednesday.
It will make history as the first Riyadh Season event to take place outside of Saudi Arabia, as it is due to be held in Los Angeles on August 3.
It is another major statement of intent from Alalshikh by bringing Crawford into the fold, whilst boxing fans also have two undisputed title fights between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, and Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol to look forward to over the next six weeks.
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