In a post-fight interview with DAZN, promoter Eddie Hearn did not mince words when discussing the outcome of the Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov bout. Hearn’s dissatisfaction was palpable as he condemned the referee and judges, particularly highlighting judge Jack Reiss’ scorecard of 116-112 in favor of Crawford. Hearn’s criticism centers on his belief that Crawford did not do enough to decisively take the title from Madrimov, the reigning champion.

“It’s a waste of time,” Hearn stated bluntly. “It’s not a 116-112 fight. He’s coming into the fight as a champion but because he’s fighting Terence Crawford he doesn’t get a fair shake.”

Hearn’s argument hinges on his observation of the fight’s dynamics, asserting that the effective punches were primarily delivered by Madrimov. He acknowledged Crawford’s strong finish in the final round but maintained that it was not enough to overshadow Madrimov’s consistent performance throughout the bout.

“All of the effective punches were coming from Israil Madrimov. Crawford had a good flurry in the last round,” Hearn remarked. “It was a super close fight. I believe you have to come in and take that belt off the champion, Terence Crawford didn’t do that and I love him, he is brilliant. But for me, Madrimov deserves to be champion tonight.”

The promoter’s frustration extended to the scoring, which he felt did not reflect the true nature of the contest. He argued that the fight was too close to result in such a wide margin on the scorecards, emphasizing the need for a more balanced and accurate assessment of the fighters’ performances.

“It was a fight that could have gone either way and then you hear the scorecards and it’s a ‘why do you bother’ kind of thing. You lose by four rounds on two of the scorecards; it wasn’t that kind of fight,” Hearn explained.

Hearn also recounted the atmosphere in Madrimov’s corner during the fight, noting their growing quietness as the bout progressed. According to him, this silence was a clear indication of their awareness of the critical importance of the twelfth round.

“I was sitting in the corner, they were so quiet all fight. They knew: ‘The twelfth round, we need this’,” Hearn recalled.

In sum, Eddie Hearn’s post-fight comments underscore a deep dissatisfaction with the judging and refereeing in the Crawford vs. Madrimov bout. His critique not only questions the fairness of the decision but also highlights a broader issue within boxing where the underdog or reigning champion might not receive the recognition they deserve when facing a high-profile opponent. For Hearn, this fight was emblematic of that problem, leaving him to conclude that the entire affair felt like a waste of time.