Fairytale Champ

Anthony Crolla celebrates his victory knock-out.

Burglars KO Crolla, but our fighter comes back off the ropes to win world title

BOXER Anthony “Million Dollar” Crolla is on top of the world — a year after he was left with career-threatening injuries in a burglary.

Chadderton-based Crolla won the world title he has always dreamed of on Saturday night when he knocked out previous champion Darleys Perez to win the WBA lightweight crown in front of an extremely loud and proud home-town crowd of almost 10,000 at Manchester Arena. Crolla (29) ended Perez’s reign in the fifth round as a devastating body shot left the Colombian star in a crumpled heap on the canvas.

The heroic win against the tough-as-teak Colombian capped a fairytale comeback from adversity for New Moston-raised Crolla.

Just before last Christmas, he sustained horrific skull and ankle injuries following an altercation with two men who he suspected were trying to burgle his neighbour’s home in Chadderton.

His sporting career was under threat, but following treatment at the Royal Oldham hospital, Crolla recovered and returned to the ring in July, only to miss out on the world title when Perez secured a controversial draw

A rematch was ordered swiftly by the WBA, and on Saturday Crolla finally made his long-standing dream come true.

Crolla said: “I never lost hope that I would eventually win a world title.”