The full lineup has been revealed for the first Riyadh Season show to take place on U.S. soil. Nine different promoters will work together for the six bouts confirmed to grace the August 3 show at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. As previously reported by The Ring, WBA 154-pound titlist Israil Madrimov and pound-for-pound king […]
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The full lineup has been revealed for the first Riyadh Season show to take place on U.S. soil.
Nine different promoters will work together for the six bouts confirmed to grace the August 3 show at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. As previously reported by The Ring, WBA 154-pound titlist Israil Madrimov and pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford meet in the evening’s main event.
Five more fights were confirmed during a press conference held Wednesday afternoon in New York City.
Press conf underway for Aug. 3 #RiyadhSeasonCard. Announced lineup:
Israil Madrimov-Terence Crawford
Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz-Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela
Andy Ruiz-Jarrell Miller
Andy Cruz-Antonio Moran
David Morrell-Radivoje KalajdzicPotentially to come:
Tim Tszyu-Vergil Ortiz Jr.— Jake Donovan (@JakeNDaBox) April 24, 2024
Israil Madrimov vs. Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford—12 rounds, for Madrimov’s WBA 154-pound title
Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 knockouts), No. 3 at 154, will attempt the first defense of his WBA title. The unbeaten Uzbek claimed the belt in a fifth-round knockout of Magomed Kurbanov on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is one of two fighters on this show to return to the Riyadh Season circuit.
“Terence Crawford is one of my favorite boxers and one of the best boxers in the world,” said Madrimov. “I am very excited to get this opportunity to make a statement, and I will. Inshallah.”
Crawford (40-0-1, 31 KOs) will attempt to become a four-division titlist. The reigning Ring and unified welterweight champion has not fought since his one-sided blowout of Errol Spence (28-1, 21 KOs) in their undisputed championship last July 29. The one-year layoff is not of any concern to the sport’s pound-for-pound king.
“I’m proud to partner with Riyadh Season and Turki Alalshikh on their first boxing event in the United States. I cannot wait to get back in the ring in my fourth weight class and remind the world why I’m the best pound for pound fighter in the world,” said Terence Crawford. “Israil Madrimov is a tremendous and entertaining fighter, but on August 3, he will be my next victim. This is the Terence Crawford era.”
Isaac ‘Pitbull Cruz vs. Jose Valenzuela—12 rounds, for Cruz’s WBA 140-pound title
Mexico City’s Cruz will enjoy a quick turnaround following perhaps the best win of his career. The wildly popular boxer annexed the WBA 140-pound title after a one-sided, eighth round knockout of Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero (15-2, 13 KOs). Their March 30 clash at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas resulted in Cruz’s first major title win and extended his current four-fight win streak.
Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) will enter his first title fight. The 24-year-old Mexican southpaw enters off a sensational sixth-round knockout of Chris Colbert last December 16 in Minneapolis. The 2023 Knockout of the Year contender saw Valenzuela avenge a disputed defeat to Colbert last March 25.
The call to face Cruz came as Valenzuela was in camp for a previously discussed rematch with Edwin De Los Santos. The two were due to run it back on the June 15 Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis-Frank Martin undercard in Las Vegas.
Andy Ruiz vs. Jarrell Miller—heavyweight (rounds TBD)
The pairing pits one heavyweight who turned the fallout of another into his own career-defining moment.
Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) was a late replacement for Miller in a colossal upset of then-unbeaten Anthony Joshua. Their June 2019 battle saw Ruiz recover from a knockdown to score four of his own in a seventh-round stoppage. The feat saw him become the first Mexican boxer to win a piece of the heavyweight crown. Ruiz lost the titles to Joshua just six months later as he showed up grossly out of shape for their December 2019 rematch.
Just two wins have followed for Ruiz, who has not fought since a September 2022 victory over Luis Ortiz.
Miller (26-1-1, 22 KOs) was due to face Joshua on that June 2019 show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
The Brooklyn native was popped for multiple banned substances and was pulled from the show. A repeat offense more than a year later resulted in an 18-month suspension. He returned in 2022 and won three bouts before he suffered his first defeat. It came in a tenth-round stoppage to Daniel Dubois last December 23 in Riyadh.
Miller joins Madrimov in repeat Riyadh Season appearances.
Andy Cruz vs. Antonio Moran—10 rounds, junior welterweight
Cuba’s Cruz (3-0, 1 KO) continues to fight at an exceedingly high level of competition in the infancy of his pro career. The 2020 Olympic Gold medalist for Cuba went the ten-round distance in his first pro bout last July. Cruz—who now trains in Philadelphia—has remained at that mark and will once again fight over that length for this fight.
Moran (30-6-1, 21 KOs) resurrected his career when he won the Pro Box TV Last Chance Tournament in 2022. The 30-year-old Mexican then dropped a ten-round decision to Jamaine Ortiz last September. He quickly rebounded with a one-sided, sixth-round knockout of Romero Duno on January 31.
David Morrell vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic—12 rounds, vacant ‘interim’ WBA light heavyweight title
Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) holds a secondary WBA title at 168, where he is The Ring’s No. 4 rated contender. The unbeaten Cuban will move up in weight, where he hopes to find a clearer path to a major title shot.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
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