‘Anthony Crolla deserves another world title shot’

Anthony Crolla

AFTER picking up a good win over Ricky Burns in Manchester in October, Anthony Crolla will box next in spring 2018 as he plots his route back to a world championship at lightweight.

โ€œIf Matchroom did a show in New York in March, I think Anthony would like to box on that, on the undercard while a title opportunity became available,โ€ his trainer Joe Gallagher told Boxing News.

He suggests a rematch with Ricky Burns is not hugely appealing. But Crolla told Gallagher: โ€œIf theyโ€™re going to throw a load of money at me to do it, you canโ€™t turn that down.โ€

Joe said, โ€œIf Ricky had beaten Crolla, they wouldnโ€™t be looking behind him, theyโ€™d be looking forward. Anthony, he beat the former WBA super-lightweight champion of the world, which is a great win, a three-time world champion. Anthony is deserving of another world title shot and Iโ€™m sure that Eddie [Hearn, his promoter] will be working hard to deliver it for him.โ€

World titles could become vacant, if champions like Mikey Garcia or Jorge Linares move up in weight. Ray Beltran is expected to fight for the vacant WBO crown in February. โ€œWeโ€™ve got the option of Ray Beltran, when he wins the world title, most probably challenge him for the world title,โ€ Gallagher said. โ€œIf Garcia wins and moves up and Linares beats [Luke] Campbell and moves up, then the belts become vacant. Anthony had a great win last time over Ricky Burns to push himself back up those rankings, to put himself in a position for a shot at any of the vacant belts, especially the WBA one where he was a world champion in before.โ€

anthony crolla

Gallagher wouldnโ€™t expect Crolla to fight Olympic gold medallist and former world title challenger Luke Campbell until a championship is on the line. โ€œI think Luke Campbell, if he doesnโ€™t get the Jorge Linares rematch, I think Luke Campbell has to come back and get a significant win, the same way Anthony Crollaโ€™s had to come back and get a significant win by beating Ricky Burns. I think the fight for Luke Campbell would be to come back and avenge that loss against [Yvan] Mendy. That could be for a vacant belt if Garcia gave it up, or a final world title eliminator. It wonโ€™t be Crolla versus Luke Campbell, not until Campbell has a significant win. If the belts become vacant thereโ€™s a vacant world title fight between the two of them,โ€ Gallagher said.

โ€œI do think thatโ€™s a big fight. I think the calibre of the two of them, theyโ€™d have to do it for a world title at least.โ€

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