Trainer Greg Hackett sees Terence Crawford breaking down IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and knocking him out in the ninth round if the two fight together.
Hackett points out that Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is no Tim Tszyu, and it wouldn’t be the same for Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs) as he was against him last Saturday night in his third fight- the Round Knockout in Orlando, Florida.
Murtazaliev For So Many Benefits
Crawford has more experience, but Murtazaliev has too many advantages over the older Omaha, Nebraska native to take on this killer. Here’s what Crawford would face if he chose to face Murtazaliev:
– Size
– New
– Power
– Reach out
Crawford has been part-time for the past four years starting in 2020, and he couldn’t step into the ring with a puncher as devastating as Murtazaliev without something bad happening to him. We saw Crawford get hit hard in his last fight against Israel Madrimov, and he was lucky that he was up against a guy who didn’t throw a lot of punches.
If Crawford fights Murtazaliev, he will be getting hit with the same number of shots that knocked out Tim Tszyu.
Crawford, 37, has not said he wants to fight Murtazaliev, and has chosen WBA junior middleweight champion Israel Madrimov for his latest debut at 154 on August 3. Some believe Crawford strategically chose the 11-fight novice Madrimov over take the most dangerous threat, Murtazaliev.
“That would be a big fight for Terence Crawford. He is at that level. Bakhram, everyone is talking about him now because of what he did to Tim Tszyu, but that’s what happens in boxing when you take fights,” said trainer Greg Hackett speaking to Fighthype when asked about the unification fight between Terence Crawford who is the WBA 154-lb champion no. IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.
“Of course we don’t know much about him, but in my opinion, he has an up and down style. He has a good jab, right hand and hook, and that’s all you need in boxing are good fundamentals,” Hackett continued about Murtazaliev. “If you have good foundations, you can make things happen. Yes, Terence Crawford is no Tim Tszyu. “
Crawford’s Lack of Power
Crawford doesn’t have the punching power that Tszyu brought to the table in his fight with Bakhram Murtazaliev, and he won’t want to square off against the 6’0″ IBF champion after what he saw him do to Tim.
“Terence Crawford brings a lot more things than Tim Tszyu. So, I think he’s going to give Bakhram a world of trouble right after his jab alone. He was taking time to break her and stab her in the body. He worked him over until the ninth round and knocked him out. Bakhram was caught off guard by the gunfire he heard, but he remained determined and stayed on the mission. “I don’t think Bakhram can beat Terence Crawford,” Hackett said.
It is unlikely that Crawford will take out Murtazaliev because he will need to get off his bike and stand in the pocket, and trade. He won’t do that. We saw how Crawford fought the potshot fighter Madrimov, and that was all jabs.
Crawford played it safe, not taking any chances but still eating plenty of right hands throughout the night. His face was scarred by the end of the battle, and he looked like the loser of a close contest. Crawford did not win at all, he won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113. Murtazaliev is a combination puncher with devastating power, and he wasn’t going to throw potshot right hands at Crawford the way Madrimov did.
Crawford probably wouldn’t have agreed to fight Murtazaliev after watching what he did to Tszyu. He is still standing and hopes that the Saudis will prepare him for a retirement fight against Canelo Alvarez, he does not rate it as he has never fought at 168 or 160. He will not enter the ring with Murtazaliev with him. hurt his chances of sending a golden parachute.
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