PLAY IT AGAIN, LADS
Linares returns to Manchester to resume hostilities with Crolla, writes George Gigney
Crolla has it all to do in rematch with Linares but shouldn’t be written off
Iwill meet in an immediate rematch this weekend, it can be found in footage of their first fight from September last year. More specifically, one watch of the sixth round – one of the best stanzas of 2016 – will tell you everything you need to know.
Crolla, the eternal underdog, hurt Linares with a body shot halfway through the round and the Venezuelan back-pedalled as Anthony walked him down. Then, with 30 seconds to go, Linares stunned Crolla with a looping right hand and almost finished him. It was breathtaking, brutal and technically brilliant.
It serves as a handy microcosm of this respectful rivalry between two of the world’s best lightweights. Crolla once again over-performed and he forced the best out of Linares who, when push came to shove, produced the classier, more dangerous work.
Linares upset the Manchester crowd that night by earning a unanimous decision, but even after he had been handed the WBA title that previously belonged to Crolla, there was a sense that these two were not quite done with each other yet.
On Saturday (March 25), Linares will return to Crolla’s Manchester Arena fortress and offer him a chance at revenge. Matchroom promote, Sky Sports broadcast in the UK and, encouragingly, Showtime will do so in the US.
First off, a tip of the hat to both men. Crolla will be entering the ring as the underdog for the fifth time in a row. A fight with vaunted banger Ismael Barroso is sandwiched between consecutive meetings with Darleys Perez (who he beat to claim the title) and Linares. That is a daunting run of fights, but Crolla has moved through it with a smile. Jorge himself did not hesitate in agreeing to face Crolla in Manchester again - he is a world champion in every sense of the term, willing to travel anywhere to fight the best.
Crolla’s story is inspiring no matter how many times you hear it. In 2012, he warred with Kieran Farrell (who suffered career-ending injuries but is now thriving as a manager/ trainer/promoter) for the English title and seemed destined to remain at domestic level. Then in 2014, with a world title fight confirmed, his career looked over after he tried to stop a pair of burglars in his neighbourhood who subsequently left him with a broken ankle and fractured skull.
His first fight back was against then WBA champion Perez, who somehow escaped Manchester with his title after the fight – which Crolla bossed – was scored a draw. Perez couldn’t escape the long-reaching tentacles of promoter Eddie Hearn and he was dragged back to Crolla’s hometown, but failed to hear the final bell of the immediate rematch when Crolla stopped him with a left hook straight out of a movie script.
Barroso suffered the same fate and then Crolla moved into his clash with Linares. A three-weight world champion, Jorge is one of the best fighters on the planet and wouldn’t ➤