Israil Madrimov will be the first to tell you how much of a fan he is of Terence Crawford.

Fandom aside, however, it didn’t stop the 29-year-old from attempting to take his head off. This past August, at Los Angeles' BMO Stadium, the pair got it on and although he believed he did enough to win, it was Crawford who slithered out with a close unanimous decision victory over 12 rounds in his junior middleweight debut.

Madrimov angled for an immediate rematch, but Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) had other ideas. Nothing is official yet, but Crawford appears on the verge of fighting Canelo Alvarez. Details of a possible showdown are incredibly hazy but Crawford has stated on numerous occasions that he would have no problem moving up two full weight classes to fight Alvarez for his Ring, WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight titles.

Madrimov knows what Crawford brings to the table. The ability to switch stances, more than respectable power, and one of the best boxing brains imaginable.

Crawford is a great fighter and can compete with anyone but Madrimov wholeheartedly believes that there are weight classes for a reason.

“It’s a different weight class,” Madrimov told Boxing News. “I think Canelo will win.”

In 2024, Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) made a habit of stripping undefeated fighters of their perfect record. With lopsided decision victories over Edgar Berlanga and Jaime Munguia, Alvarez has sat back and observed the rest of the 168-pound landscape. The names available to him aren't the most recognizable but Alvarez has never been interested in fighting Crawford.

It’s all about credit. Or, the lack thereof. The Mexican star is convinced that beating a much smaller man won’t do much for his legacy. Nevertheless, money talks.

A 14-pound weight gap and a considerable power difference have some under the assumption that Alvarez will not only beat Crawford but also stop him. Madrimov though, isn’t willing to go that far with his prediction.

“I think decision.”