Leave Crolla alone, pleads Gallagher

TITLE REMATCH . . . Joe Gallagher (right) and promoter Eddie Hearn with Anthony Crolla after he beat Darleys Perez to win the WBA world lightweight belt in 2015.

TRAINER Joe Gallagher has pleaded with fans, friends and the media to leave Anthony Crolla alone as the build-up continues to the massive 'Repeat or Revenge' second showdown with Jorge Linares at the Manchester Arena on Saturday, March 25.

Chadderton-based Crolla (30) gets a second crack at Linares after defeat to the rock-hard Tokyo-based Venezualan last September, with the WBA, WBC Diamond and Ring Magazine lightweight titles on the line again.

Last time, Linares (31) deservedly emerged victorious thanks to gaining a unanimous points decision from the three ringside judges at the Arena.

KNUCKLE

Now Crolla, renowned throughout sport as 'boxing's Mr Nice Guy', needs to knuckle down and build up something of a mean streak if he is to wrestle his WBA belt back.

Gallagher said: "The last fight didn't go Anthony's way and that was fair enough. Jorge Linares was the best he'd ever been that night.

"March 25 will see another great fight, it was an obvious fight to put on again, and now Anthony Crolla gets something not many other fighters ever get - a second chance to win the world and Ring Magazine titles.

"We all know how nice Anthony Crolla and how he's happy to be pulled this way and that, getting tickets organised for friends and stuff, but for this fight I need him to be a horrible, nasty Anthony Crolla.

"Whether you're friends, Sky TV, radio, any media out there, I need you to leave Anthony alone before this fight.

"He needs to be locked away in training with me, pulled away from the spotlight so we can work hard at getting him properly prepared for what is going to be another tough, tough fight.

"If you need tickets for the fight, get them from the website, get them from his brother or someone else. Please leave Anthony alone - we all need that nasty Anthony Crolla back this time."

Tickets for Crolla v Linares II are on sale now, priced from £40 (booking fees apply).

So far sales projections are up 35-per-cent on this stage before the last fight, so the Arena upper tier will definitely be opened up on March 25.

Log on to www.matchroomboxing.com then follow the link to get your tickets.

Chief support on the 'Repeat or Revenge' will see popular Blackpool middleweight pair Jack Arnfield and Brian Rose go head-to-head for the WBA international title.