Crolla falls short in bid for greatness
THE bar has been raised for the best of British boxers. This country is home to more world champions than either the United States or Mexico so the challenge now is to strive beyond that achievement. To reach out for greatness.
Anthony Crolla has become the latest to fail that test, albeit falling narrowly and agonisingly short in Saturday’s defeat by Venezuelan maestro Jorge Linares.
In the epic quality of the battle, in his valour, in his sporting acceptance of a close decision against him, Crolla wrote another page in his extraordinary recovery from a broken skull to win a world championship.
Yet it was defeat nonetheless and the WBA lightweight belt left his home town around the waist of Linares. This follows losses for Amir Khan, Kell Brook and Liam Smith when they dared to confront elite prizefighters who garland their titles with excellence.
Not that any of them should be disparaged. Rather than bolster their records against lesser opponents they risked pain and punishment to deliver the thrilling fights their audience crave. Crolla’s war with Linares is a Fight of the Year candidate and his promoter Eddie Hearn rightly says: ‘Anthony has established his right to be involved only in major events from now on and he is on track to becoming remembered as a real fighter.’
Given the proliferation of world titles dispensed by the alphabet bodies, that carries higher distinction than the belts. Of our dozen remaining world champions, the wider public may struggle to name more than Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Carl Frampton and James DeGale. Hearn makes the point that more can be less in boxing when he says: ‘Not all our world champions are that well known. Greatness is the standard for recognition in this hard old game and Anthony has given everyone an unforgettable night.’
It is possible to burnish credentials in defeat and Crolla did just that in the Manchester Arena.
A rematch is mooted, with Linares offering to return here once the hand he damaged in the sixth round mends. Assuming that happens next March, the memory of this epic clash should bring out a crowd closer to the Arena’s near-20,000 capacity than the somewhat disappointing 12,000 turnout this time.
Those present generated an addictive atmosphere and Crolla is still Manchester’s Rocky, as he fights on after sustaining that serious head wound when struck by a concrete slab while tackling burglars at a neighbour’s house.
As well as a real fighter, he is a gentleman and the respect between him and Linares was a credit to a game which, when contested in this spirit, is as inspiring as it is brutal.
There have been some dubious decisions in Britain against foreign boxers down the years but Linares was not deprived of his just reward.
Judges’ scores of 115-114 and 115-113 were within an acceptable margin of error, and though the third man at ringside went too far at 117-111 that did not affect the unanimous decision.
English referee Terry O’Connor also distinguished himself by resisting the local clamour for a one-point deduction when Linares landed a couple of low blows. As Crolla honourably said: ‘These accidents happen in a fight of this intensity.’
Crolla had established an early advantage but admitted: ‘I thought I was dictating the fight but then Jorge caught and hurt me with a cracking left in the seventh from which he drew encouragement.’
The decision was lost in the last four rounds, three of which went to Linares as the experience he had gained from winning three previous world titles at different weights kicked in. On my card that lifted the Venezuelan to a 116-114 victory.
Crolla vows to improve for the rematch but he may have missed his chance against Linares, who had been out for a year with a previous hand injury and maybe this was the time to catch him a little rusty.
Either way, a second fight between them is a mouth-watering prospect.