Crolla ‘lucky to be alive’ after thief’s brutal attack
ANTHONY CROLLA is ‘lucky to be alive’ and faces an uncertain future in boxing after suffering horrific injuries while attempting to stop two burglars from raiding his next-door neighbour’s house.
The world title contender is likely to remain in hospital until the weekend after having scans on the fractured skull he suffered when he was hit with a concrete slab during the vicious altercation near Oldham on Tuesday night.
Crolla also had surgery yesterday on his right ankle, which was broken in two places, though the 28-year- old’s condition has been described as ‘stable’ by his trainer Joe Gallagher, who had been preparing the lightweight for a world title fight next month.
Gallagher told Sportsmail: ‘He is devastated, absolutely heartbroken, but he’s trying to put a brave face on it. Ant is such a lovely lad and was trying to help a neighbour. He was getting ready for the biggest night of his career but all that is up in the air now.
‘I am just relieved he is alive. This could have been far worse when you think what happened. He is in a bad way but he is lucky to be alive. It’s too early to know what effect this will have on his career and to be honest I don’t want him thinking about it.’
The grim details are that Crolla was at home in Chadderton when he heard the burglar alarm sounding from next door. After a phone call went unanswered, Crolla is believed to have spotted through a window that his neighbour’s patioti d door hdbhad been cavedd i in. Crolla i s understood to have shouted at the intruders, who fled. The 5ft 8in boxer chased and caught one, but the other is alleged to have hit him over the head with a slab of concrete.
‘Had it been at a slightly different angle then Anthony might have been killed,’ Gallagher added. ‘When he was hit he fell and broke his ankle. He has a deep cut down his head from his hairline to eyebrow. He’s had stitches and he had surgery on his ankle and they’ve had to put pins in.’
Crolla was due to challenge Richar Abril for the Cuban’s WBA lightweight world title on January 23 at the Manchester Arena. That fight has been postponed and Crolla’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is in talks to rearrange the bout.
But it is not yet known whether the fighter will be able to return to the ring. Gallagher, who was with Crolla in hospital in Oldham yesterday and on Tuesday night, said: ‘He is devastated, obviously. He’s shaken up and very disappointed about what’s happened. This guy was about to fight for a world title. At the moment that’s not important, all that matters is his health.
‘But we’ve been joking as well. I was asking him, “Who do you think you are, Batman? Did you think you were going to put them both in headlocks and frogmarch them to the police station?”.
‘This wasn’t his house, but it shows the kind of guy he is that he was trying to help a neighbour. Honestly, he is such a nice lad.’ Hearn said: ‘Unfortunately the January 23 fight is off but our concerns right now are with Ant and his family.
‘I’m devastated for him. He has been training for six weeks for this and has a shot at the world title in his home town.
‘I have spoken to Richar Abril’s t eam and we are t r ying to reschedule the fight.’
Detective Sergeant Richard Arthern said: ‘The victim was outraged that these two men had broken into his neighbour’s home and gave chase. When he caught up with one of them he was hit with such force, he received a fractured skull.
‘He staggered backwards and fell to the ground, leaving him with a broken ankle and in a lot of pain.’
Crolla has won 29 of his 35 fights and next month’s fight would have provided the biggest payday of his career.