Israil Madrimov has never shied from charging headlong to the fire of a demanding fight, so it’s no wonder that on the heels of facing Terence Crawford and Vergil Ortiz Jnr consecutively, he’s willing to test himself once more.
Back from the longest layoff of his career, Uzbekistan’s former WBA 154lbs champion Madrimov, 10-2-1 (7 KOs), returns to the ring Saturday night in Las Vegas versus the Dominican Republic’s Luis David Salazar, 20-1 (7 KOs).
The fight stands as the DAZN-streamed co-main event to the Raymond Muratalla IBF lightweight title defense versus Cuba’s 2021 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz.
From his own amateur days and rapid ascent to the WBA belt, 30-year-old Madrimov has insisted upon rigorous bouts, and as he finds himself still ranked among the top 10 by three sanctioning bodies, he’d like to perform strongly enough to land a return title shot in his next bout.
Madrimov said that includes imposing IBF beltholder Bakhram Murtazaliez, who defends against England’s Josh Kelly on January 31, or WBC ruler Sebastian Fundotra, the 6-feet-6 “Towering Inferno” whom Madrimov labels the division’s “best” titlist.
He’s already dared to step in versus other giants, finding himself tied on two scorecards after 10 rounds with now-retired five-division champion Terence Crawford in August 2024, and then became one of only two men to go the 12-round distance with the lion of the 154lbs division, unbeaten Ortiz in February.
“I’ve always wanted to chase the toughest and biggest fights possible,” Madrimov told BoxingScene. “You can track my record. I’ve always been looking for a title. Now, after all those fights, I’m coming back here to test myself and prove to everyone I’m at the highest level still – that I can compete with, and beat, all the best guys.”
Madrimov does so following multiple hellacious health battles, including bronchitis that led to pneumonia and sabotage his Ortiz performance and recovery from shoulder and knee surgeries from separate injuries suffered before the Crawford bout and during the Ortiz defeat.
“I was very sick. I had [extensive] damage to my lungs, took antibiotics and the training [for Ortiz] hurt me more. It was a very dumb thing I did because it further damaged me,” Madrimov said. “I’d get tired by the fifth round, out of breath, and ended up visiting Germany, India and other countries looking for a cure and the best doctors. I’m still in recovery and feeling much better, but it’s been a busy recovery year, and it’s still going.”
Madrimov said he has two more months of medicine to take for his weakened legs. He believes he will be fine through Saturday’s fight.
“It’s night and day compared to how I feel now and [last fight],” he said. “I’m a different person.
“The challenge for me is I’ve never been out of the ring so long in my 20 years of boxing,” noting he won the WBA belt and fought Crawford and Ortiz in less than a 12-month stretch.
“Maybe that damaged me,” he said.”The goal is to come back, test my body and see, go through the gears without rushing anything. I know I have a solid opponent, a tough guy who has everything to prove. I have to prove I’m here for a reason. Hopefully, my body feels well and I adjust, shake off the rust … get under the lights and perform for the people. To see where I’m at and how my body reacts is the first and foremost goal of this fight.”
To declare himself fully back would be a powerful statement given how impressive Madrimov’s showing versus Crawford compares in hindsight; the Nebraskan subsequently moved up two divisions to convincingly defeat Canelo Alvarez in September for an unprecedented third undisputed title during the ‘four-belt era’.
“I wasn’t surprised [by Crawford’s victory],” Madrimov said. “I always knew what level Terence Crawford was at – I always said he was the best pound-for-pound fighter, the whole package and my favorite fighter coming up.
“Before the Canelo fight, I told everyone that as long as Crawford gains the weight smartly, then he can outbox Canelo. I only gave Canelo the chance to [knock out] or stop Crawford. I knew Terence was the better boxer. It ended up being even more convincing than I expected. In our country, we call the best ‘Master of Sports.’ It looked like a ‘Master of Sports’ versus someone coming up.”
The timing of Madrimov’s return is impeccable as Murtazaliev defends his belt one week later on another show promoted in England by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.
“I always said we’re here for the big challenges and big names. We wanted to fight Bakhram [after Crawford], but [Serhii] Bohachuk was offered and Tim Tszyu didn’t want to step aside [from Murtazaliev],” Madrimov said.
“That was a fight I always wanted because it would be a great fight style wise. For me, the priorities are the titles. All the champions have fights right now, but I will fight whoever – the Bakhram-Kelly winner … nothing but respect to all the champions. Any of these guys – I would be honored to fight any of them.”
