Anthony Crolla experienced heartbreak four months ago with a controversial decision; Darleys Perez retained his WBA lightweight title via a majority draw when the pair first met at the Manchester Arena in July.
It was an emotional return to the ring in his hometown for Crolla, after recovering from a broken ankle and fractured skull, which he suffered when attacked by two burglars in a neighbour’s garden back in December 2014.
Crolla produced a career-best performance, as the Colombian put up a hard fight, despite having two points deducted in the second half of the fight for low blows. Crolla believed he had done more than enough to get the decision.
The Manchester arena erupted when the result was announced; the judges were split, with one going for each of the fighters and the third making it a draw, the pro Crolla crowd believed their man had been robbed of the title.
The WBA ordered an immediate rematch, after Promoter Eddie Hearn appealed the decision, Crolla and Perez will be sharing top of the bill with Martin Murray who will challenge Arthur Abraham for the WBO super-middleweight title.
Anthony Crolla has assured fans there will be no doubt when Perez returns to the Manchester Arena for the WBA lightweight title rematch.
Crolla told Sky Sports, “I’m made up to have this opportunity and a second chance,”
“A lot of people feel that I should already be a world champion but bad decisions happen in boxing. I’m one of those people to experience that but I’ve been given a second chance.
“I will leave nothing to doubt.
“We are expecting a better Darleys Perez but there will certainly be a better Anthony Crolla. I believe last time I fought well enough to win the fight and this time I will make sure I get the decision.”
Darleys Perez, knows if it wasn’t for the two points deducted for the low blows, he would have retained his title with no controversy, he told World Boxing News in a recent interview, “I’m a true champion who never backs down from adversity
“Crolla is a very skilled fighter with a lot of heart and I know he’s coming for my title. He’ll have his entire country behind him when we fight, but that doesn’t faze me.
“My goal is to end the fight early with a knockout, but if we go the distance, I have complete faith that I will get a fair ruling from the judges in the UK.”
“There is no doubt that I would have won the first fight by unanimous decision if I didn’t get deducted for those low blows,” he said.
“It was my fault and I won’t make the same mistakes in the rematch. I’m hungrier now then I’ve ever been and nothing is going to stop me from bringing back my title to my countrymen of Colombia.”
Anthony Crolla has admitted he was so gutted by the draw with Darleys Perez in their first WBA World Super-Bantamweight title fight that it took him months to watch it again.
Crolla – who turned 29 yesterday – has finally watched the fight back with trainer Joe Gallagher, and believes the pair have devised the masterplan to put that result right this time.
“I didn’t watch the fight for a few months,” said Crolla. “It was a bit gutting watching it back because I found it hard to see that I had not won the fight. But I have watched it back since with Joe over the last few weeks’, time and time again, looking at what to work on for the fight to get the title this time. Every time I watch it, it doesn’t get any easier. I still think I won it, but I can make it right on Saturday.
“People say it was a career-best performance. It might have been, but I have improved since then. In the last fight there were times that I out boxed him, times I hurt him, and that gives me huge confidence. I am sure he’s going to start fast and try to impose himself on me, to try to show that it wasn’t him at his best last time and I look forward to answering the questions that he is going to ask me.
“We had each other’s respect early in the fight. He landed some decent shots early in the second but I landed the best punch in the fight with the right hand in that round. That made him know he was in a fight. It was a shot we worked on, my power is growing all the time. I’ve never said I was a one-punch KO guy, I never have been and never will be, but it didn’t shock me that I hurt him. The shot came at a good time for him, it was at the end of the round and he clung on, but this time if I land that I won’t let him off the hook.
“It was a tough fight and I felt the pace, I think we both did. There were some shots that strayed low from him, and at the end I thought I was three minutes from my dream becoming a reality. I thought I had done my bit but it didn’t go my way. I knew that it was close and you don’t want to leave things to chance.
“I had to stay cool and not go for broke for no reason, so I tried to outwork him in the 12th and show him that I could finish like a champion. He didn’t hurt me in the fight but I knew he was there. You don’t want to be taking clean shots from him. I thought the last low blow had cemented it. I wasn’t happy that the points were taken off but I was sure that was enough, but at the same time it hurt!
“They were lucky to get away with the belt last time and they may not be so lucky this time. I’ve got to expect a better Perez and I do. I know I have to be better too.”
Crolla faces Perez on a stacked bill in Manchester as the vacant British title at Super-Lightweight is on the line in a rematch between Chris Jenkins and Tyrone Nurse, whilst new Matchroom signing Ryan Burnett faces Jason Booth for the vacant British Bantamweight title.
There’s a pair of English title fights with talented former Team GB man defending his Flyweight title against Liverpool’s Phil Smith and Isaac Lowe defends his Featherweight strap against Manchester’s Ryan Doyle.
Unbeaten Manchester Cruiserweight Hosea Burton meets Tony Hill for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental title, and there’s action for former World Bantamweight champion Stuart Hall, former World title challenger Brian Rose and unbeaten youngsters Marcus Morrison and Liam Taylor.
– Emmily Simcock / @Emmily_Jane
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