CROLLA CAN JOIN GREATS
He’s a Brit special
ANTHONY CROLLA will become a British boxing great if he upsets Jorge Linares in tomorrow’s rematch at Manchester Arena.
Crolla’s trainer, Joe Gallagher, predicts it will be the greatest win by a Brit since Ricky Hatton beat Kostya Tszyu in 2005.
The Manchester fighter is the underdog against three-weight world champion Linares, who took the WBA lightweight title from him in September.
And Gallagher said: “If Anthony wins, it will be right up there with the other great wins by British fighters.
“It would be the best win by a British fighter since Ricky Hatton beat Tszyu.”
In Gallagher’s view a victory for Crolla would eclipse Tyson Fury’s ® heavyweight upset against Wladimir Klitschko and Joe Calzaghe’s victories over Roy Jones Jnr and Bernard Hopkins.
The winner could be set for a huge unification clash in Las Vegas against WBC champion Mikey Garcia later in the year.
Wars
Gallagher insists Linares will remember his wars with Crolla, whatever the outcome.
He said: “In the first fight, I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this guy is good’ and I was just glad Anthony went the 12 rounds. When Linares retires, he will pull out the video of his fight with Anthony and say this was one of his best fights.”
Venezuelan Linares knows he is back in hostile territory with 15,000 expected at Manchester Arena.
But he had no issues with the boos when he fought Crolla at the same venue last September.
And he is also not bothered that Manchester United-mad Crolla will have players from his favourite team supporting at ringside.
Linares said: “I’m going to get Ricky Hatton to get all the Blues to support me and get some Manchester City players there.”