WBA Rules Terence Crawford Can Maintain 147 Title Through Aug. 3 Bout
The World Boxing Association has confirmed that Terence Crawford (40-0, 30 KOs) will be allowed to retain his WBA welterweight title ahead of his pursuit of the organization’s junior middleweight crown in a matchup with Israil Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) on Aug. 3 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Crawford-Madrimov was officially confirmed by Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, at a press conference in New York on Wednesday.
The Aug. 3 event will be Alalshikh’s first venture into boxing outside of Saudi Arabia.
Crawford currently holds three of the four world welterweight titles and had made no secret of his intentions to move up to super welterweight after the collapse of a contractually obliged rematch with Errol Spence Jr., whom Crawford beat last year to become undisputed champion.
Madrimov claimed the then-vacant title last month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a fifth-round stoppage of Magomed Kurbanov.
Jermell Charlo, the former undisputed champion at 154 pounds, previously held the WBA title. He was undisputed until last September, before his unsuccessful 168-pound title challenge of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, with the WBO stripping Charlo on the day of the fight.
The WBA officially stripped Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) of the WBA title in March but still made him “champion in recess,” effectively giving Charlo the freedom to choose when to call for an immediate title opportunity for his old belt.
As reports circulated last week regarding Crawford’s upcoming contest with Madrimov, Charlo promoter Tom Brown wrote to the WBA explaining that his fighter would be returning at junior middleweight and that he was open to fighting Madrimov for his title.
After Wednesday’s confirmation of Crawford-Madrimov, the WBA published an official notice to clarify the situation at 154 pounds.
Crawford, if successful in claiming the WBA junior middleweight world title, will have five days to decide which weight class he wishes to continue in due to the rule prohibiting world titles being held in two separate weight classes.
The WBA also confirmed that the winner of Crawford-Madrimov would have to face the sanctioning body’s current mandatory challenger, Vergil Ortiz Jr. (20-0, 20 KOs).
Ortiz is scheduled to feature on the Crawford-Madrimov card against Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs), with the WBA interim junior middleweight title added to that fight as an extra bauble for the winner.
The WBA also ratified Charlo's status as “champion in recess” in the official resolution.
The resolution in full, published by the WBA:
"With the official announcement of the bout between Israil Madrimov and Terence Crawford, the World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee issued a resolution on the special permission Crawford received to move up in class and the [junior middleweight] situation.
"Crawford, who is the [junior middleweight champion], will move up to the next division to challenge champion Madrimov on August 3, in Los Angeles. The American requested the permission to move up and keep the welterweight crown and the committee granted it provided that if he beats Madrimov he will have five days after the fight to make a decision about which title he will keep.
"On the other hand, Vergil Ortiz Jr., is the mandatory challenger of the category, and for that reason will be given the opportunity to dispute the interim belt against Australian Tim Tzsyu.
"Additionally, Jermell Charlo was ratified as champion in recess, the American will have the right to face the winner of Madrimov-Crawford or Madrimov in case that fight ends in a draw.
"The body formally informed all those involved in the situation, who are obliged to know the WBA rules. This resolution annuls all the previous ones while any situation that may arise will be resolved through the interpretation of the rules."
Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov