When Israil Madrimov returned to the United States to resume training for what ultimately turned into a Saturday bout against Eric Walker in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the United States was a much different place than it was when he left to go back to his home country of Uzbekistan after a February win over Charlie Navarro.

Or was it?

“There are zero differences,” Madrimov said through translator / co-manager Aliko Frolov. “We train and sleep, that's all we do. It's the same thing as it was when we used to train. Nothing changed. As far as the all-around, everything in the desert is pretty much the same. A little bit less people, but other than that, everything is the same in Indio.”

In Madrimov’s world, the COVID-19 pandemic briefly put boxing on hold, but he never stopped working. After the Navarro fight, Madrimov was back on home soil, where he put on his gi and dusted off his judo black belt, ran, and shed the blood, sweat and tears he would if he was training for a championship fight. It’s what he’s been doing for much of his life, and he’s not about to stop now, when everything he’s worked for is getting closer and closer.

It’s a mindset shared by his teammates under the tutelage of Joel Diaz in Indio, all fighters who left their homes halfway around the glove in order to do whatever is necessary to win a world championship and better not only their life, but the lives of their families.

“I'll be honest,” said Frolov. “Their work rate and their discipline, they're just different. They eat, sleep, drink, walk, everything is about boxing. They're so disciplined and, to me, I think that discipline beats class. It doesn't matter how good you are. If you're not disciplined, you're gonna get lazy some day and you're gonna get beat up by a more disciplined fighter.”

Madrimov (5-0), Shakhram Giyasov (9-0), Bektemir Melikuziev (5-0), Murodjon Akhmadaliev (8-0), Batyr Akhmedov (7-1). A combined 34-1. All far from home and chasing the same dream in California. Akhmadaliev reached his, winning a pair of 122-pound world titles from Daniel Roman in January. Akhmedov came close last September, losing a hard-fought decision to Mario Barrios in a WBA junior welterweight title fight. All with under ten pro fights.

“They're special guys,” said Frolov. “They're very disciplined and very educated in boxing. They're not just workhorses; they're very talented and have so much pedigree in boxing that's it's unbelievable. And that's the main reason why we took this fight (with Walker). When he was flying here, he never knew that he would have a fight. When he got here, two days after, they called us and told us that the main event pulled out and we would love Israil to fight. Israil came here 163 pounds when he's fighting 154. He came here in shape, well-trained. He wasn't doing boxing over there, but he was doing wrestling, judo and conditioning training. They are disciplined.”

And ambitious. Although this fight is a WBA junior middleweight title eliminator, the 25-year-old Madrimov has been wanting a shot at a belt since the day he turned pro. Literally.

“To be clear, the last few weeks, I have a target,” he said. “It's Eric Walker on August 15th. I'm not looking past him, no way, and I'm expecting the toughest fight to date. But to be clear, starting my professional career, I was asking for the title fight for my debut. We were trying to make a fight with the WBO champion Jaime Munguia on HBO. It was approved by HBO but didn't work out with the numbers or commissions or something. But we were good to go in a debut to go against Munguia. So I do want a title fight as soon as possible, but I have a name and a date and all I can do is get ready and perform.”

There’s not much to say as a follow-up to that other than that’s a pretty bad ass way to want to start a pro career. But hard work and sacrifice will build confidence, especially when he’s gone 5-0 with five knockouts in pretty emphatic fashion. It’s also garnered “The Dream” a growing fanbase who will make sure they’re watching whenever his name is on the bill. Why do you think DAZN wanted him on short notice for this weekend’s event? Madrimov appreciates such gestures, considering being a fan favorite high praise.

“It is my priority for people to enjoy me fighting,” he said. “Not just the winning. Winning is important, but that doesn't mean that it's the most important thing. The most important is for the crowd, the people, to enjoy the fights. I really think the most important is not the result - the victory or loss - it depends on how you perform. People will love you if you're giving it all for the fans. Starting from my first fight, I always said that I was watching fighters like (Gennadiy) Golovkin and other guys for the drama, for what they bring into the ring. People want to see the real fighters in the ring and it's most important for me not to disappoint the fans. If they want to see me fighting and going toe-to-toe, trust me, I'll do everything possible to please the crowd.”

It’s not a bad way to start a career, and for all the hard work, all the sacrifices, all the months away from home, Madrimov does take solace in giving the fans what they want to see. Because he knows that the more fans want to see him, the more opportunities he’ll get. And with more opportunity comes the ability to take care of the family who’s missing him right now.

“Being away from home is probably the most difficult thing for me because I love my family a lot and I'm a family guy,” he said. “I love my mother and father and brother and sister. We all do. All the guys here love their families. But for us, boxing is the number one priority. We have dreams and we're chasing them. But also, we all have poor pasts. We're coming from very poor families. We had nothing and now we're having a chance to take care of our families and that's very important for us. That's also something that motivates us. So it is hard, but it's also for them. Everything I'm doing, I'm doing for my family also.”

But what happens when Madrimov reaches the heights of the boxing world, achieves his dreams and returns home a conquering hero who can give his family a better life? Will he lose the edge he has now, the hunger to be great?

Not a chance.

“Ego is the toughest opponent,” he said. “Of course, I'm dreaming about big fights, about big purses, a lot of belts and stuff like that. But I know that ego is my biggest opponent and I'll fight it until the end, as I do in the ring. I'm a very religious person, I'm a Muslim, I'm proud of it, and our religion teaches us to be humble and stay humble. Never talk too loud, never talk too much, just do your thing. I'll do everything to stay the same person I was ten years ago whatever life gets me to.”