GEORGE CROTTY has his sights set on the Southern Area title, firmly believing that his opportunity could arrive in the first quarter of 2026.
This certainly feels like the natural next step for Crotty, 4-0 (1 KO), whose amateur pedigree should allow him to move at a quicker pace than several of his fellow prospects.
While his previous two contests were scheduled for six, the 30-year-old dropped back down to a four-rounder in a bid to remain active on the undercard of Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley last Saturday.
His opponent, however, was not quite as polished as the Royston man might have liked, with the visitor’s reckless approach making for a slightly awkward night’s work.
This did not come as a particularly great surprise to Crotty, though, as the Royal Marine was given some inside information prior to their encounter.
“A mate of mine, Ioan Croft, boxed him the other day, and [Croft] said, ‘Watch his head; he’s lethal with it.’” Crotty told Boxing News shortly after his fight.
“But my feet are good, so I can defend with my feet and stay out of danger when I need to.”
As expected, Crotty came through his assignment at the O2 Arena, London, with minimal difficulty – winning every round – and now looks ahead to what he hopes will be a far more meaningful fight.
“I just spoke to my manager, Simon [Legg], and he said we’ll do an eight-rounder next and then go for the Southern Area title,” the super-middleweight southpaw added.
“I’d be ready for a 10-rounder next – it doesn’t bother me – but Simon said that we’ll do an eight-rounder in January or February and then go for the Southern Area title straight after that, maybe in March or April.
“Once you’ve got that [an area title], you’re knocking on the door for the English [title]. If everything goes how I want it to go, I’ll be English champion this time next year.”
The current Southern Area champion at 168lbs is James Osborne, whose next outing will see him enter GBM Sports’ eight-man tournament on November 8.
Sure enough, the 33-year-old’s explosive style would likely gel perfectly with the crafty skills of Crotty, who certainly seems up for the potential challenge.
At the same time, though, there is a good chance that Osborne – who looks to be a level or two above the area title scene – will allow Crotty to fight for a vacant belt.
“We’ve done a bit of sparring, me and Ozzy, and it would be a good bout actually,” Crotty said. “I don’t know how much longer he’ll have it for, so maybe we’ll fight someone else for a vacant title.
“Whatever happens, I’ll be ready for whoever’s got it.”
