CHAPTER CLOSED
Perhaps the last fight didn’t quite go to plan but it provided the closure required for the fabulous career that came before, writes Matt Christie
The verdict on Anthony Crolla’s final fight and his career as a whole
MAYBE Anthony Crolla didn’t deserve the 10-round points victory he received over the unfancied Frank Urquiaga. What isn’t up for debate is that Crolla, at 32, was way off his best form.
True to his honesty and acute sense of pride, he struggled to celebrate with any conviction as the majority decision (via one score of 95-95, and puzzling totals of 98-92 and 97-93) was announced in his favour.
But Crolla – a true British boxing hero – deserved every cheer and round of applause he received inside the Manchester Arena; that he’s made the venue his second home says plenty about both the man and the fighter. He deserved to hear Michael Buffer call his name one last time. More importantly, he deserved to get the closure he needed on a stellar career.
Rarely has the onset of a boxer’s last fight been met with such a wave of good feeling. And it’s not because anyone was pleased that Crolla was going, it’s because they were delighted he was leaving at the right time.
But leaving boxing at the right time is a difficult and all too uncommon process.
When a fighter announces it’s the end before they step in the ring, like Crolla did, there’s always a danger that the mind isn’t quite as it should be. By admitting it’s time to walk away they’re admitting something they never wanted to admit: That they’re not the fighter they used to be, that by fighting on they’re putting their futures in jeopardy. Such a realisation is a dangerous one to take into battle, irrespective of the opponent.
They not only see the punches coming, punches they could once evade and block, they watch them land.
Openings that were once so inviting close before they can get in position to take advantage of them. And every time they get hit, they question the decision they made to have this final fight. This fight they’re still in the midst of can suddenly become a fight with themselves.
Miguel Cotto – adored in world boxing the way Crolla is in the UK – made a similar vow before he fought Sadam Ali in 2017. With one eye on retirement, he lost sight of the job at hand and was well beaten over 12 forgettable rounds. In the end, the farewell party was a something of a non-event.
Crolla’s finale was similar. There were flashes of the hunger that Crolla once had in spades, of the skill and work-rate that was too much for all but the very best. But when the end has come in boxing, flashes are often as good as it gets. It’s what those flashes remind us of that are important, and with Crolla, they should remind us of a career that exceeded all possible expectation and seduced an entire city. A career that won titles at every level and saw him challenge some of the best fighters of his era.
From the moment Crolla realised his ambition of becoming British champion in 2011, knocking out John Watson in nine rounds to claim the superfeatherweight title, the Manchester United fan has been living the dream he’s been enjoying since he was a youngster.
An upset loss to Derry Mathews in 2012 would have persuaded plenty they had reached their ceiling. For Anthony Crolla, though, it persuaded him to aim even higher. It should also be noted that he never once considered leaving Joe Gallagher, his trainer and the man who should be credited with guiding Crolla towards the top, when it seemed he was destined to only compete at domestic level. Wins over Kieran Farrell, Gavin Rees and John Murray followed.
At the end of 2015, 12 months after an attack from concrete-wielding burglars left him hospitalised and his career in tatters, “Million Dollar” Crolla won the WBA lightweight title. He followed it by dismantling the unbeaten Ismael Barroso the following year. Behind the scenes Crolla was going out of his way to help his community, to develop young boxers and reciprocate the love from his fans. As ambassadors for boxing go, few can claim to have done a better job.
Every single member of the British media say only good things about him. Humble, and just as generous with his time when he was at the top of the world as he was at any point during his long journey to get there. Very few boxers can say the same.
The likes of Jorge Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko were steps too far but the Briton went into those contests because he wanted to fight the best. There were other options for him.
But now, after a struggling through 10 rounds with a boxer he would likely have dismantled at his peak, retirement is his only option. With dreams fulfilled and his beloved family’s future secure, Crolla did what he set out to do and what so many fail to. No doubt he will continue to thrive in the sport from the safe side of the ropes.
Boxing News wish him all the very best for the future and thank him for the memories.
CROLLA IS HUMBLE AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN GENEROUS WITH HIS TIME