.png)
Terence Crawford's pursuit of a fourth division title on August 3rd is set to take place in a more intimate venue, with organizers opting for BMO Stadium over the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, officials revealed on Monday.
The move from the massive 75,000-plus-seat Coliseum to the 22,000-seat BMO Stadium allows for a more close-knit atmosphere for the debut U.S. event of Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh. Despite the downsizing, the card has been bolstered with elite talent from Mexico.
Alongside Crawford's main event against WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov, the card will feature Mexico's new WBA 140-pound champion Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz in his first 140-pound title defense. Additionally, former world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. is set to make his return to the ring.
The formal announcement of the card is scheduled for Wednesday in New York. It was also reported that the Crawford-Madrimov bout will be for the WBO interim junior middleweight title, with champion Sebastian Fundora recovering from a broken nose.
Cruz, coming off a thrilling eighth-round stoppage of former champion Rolando "Rolly" Romero, is expected to face Mexico's Jose "El Rayo" Valenzuela. Ruiz's opponent is reportedly former contender Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller, setting up a potentially massive showdown between the two heavyweights.
Another anticipated bout for the card is a possible farewell fight for former three-division champion Abner Mares against four-division champion Leo Santa Cruz. While this match has yet to be finalized, Santa Cruz has expressed his readiness to fight following a layoff since February 2022.