Boxers going toe to toe with rugby league

MANCHESTER’S former world champion boxer Anthony Crolla will lead a team of boxing legends against a rugby league line up spearheaded by former England international and BBC pundit Eorl Crabtree, in a unique sporting challenge incorporated into the Manchester International Athletics meeting, which takes place on August 15th.

Now in its third year, the event sees an England athletics team take on athletes from Scotland, Wales, Iceland and Northern Ireland and Ulster amongst others at the Regional Athletics Arena, just a stone’s throw from Manchester City’s Etihad stadium.

And in addition to the close and exciting competition provided by the international track and field athletes, this year some familiar sporting names will also be testing their athletics prowess as part of the programme. England Athletics plan to sign a “Time to Change” pledge on the night, a commitment to end mental health stigma, and, to raise awareness of the positive impact of sport on mental health, Crolla and Crabtree will lead celebrity teams who will go head to head over 100m, long jump, shot put and the 4x100m relay.

Local hero Crolla, who memorably held the WBA World Lightweight title in 2016, competed against the Athens Olympics 4x100m team featuring Darren Campbell at last year’s International and returns in 2018 alongside recently crowned Commonwealth super welterweight champion Stacey Copeland.

“The atmosphere at last year’s event was fantastic,” he explained. “So when I was offered the opportunity to come back, I jumped at the chance. Enjoying good mental health is so important and as professional boxers we all know how difficult it