Crolla celebrates battering Barroso

Photo: Richard Sellars

Anthony Crolla (left) and Ismael Barroso during the WBA World Lightweight Title bout at the Manchester Arena.

ANTHONY Crolla defended his WBA world lightweight title for the first time in brutal style on Saturday on a night the Chadderton-based boxer will clearly cherish for the rest of his days.

Crolla (29) was up against mandatory challenger Ismael Barroso, an American-based Venezualan tough guy who many rated as the best and most feared lightweight on the planet.

However, “Million Dollar” Crolla roared back after weathering a predicted early storm and stopped Barroso after one minute and 31 seconds of the seventh round.

The atmosphere was raucous inside the Manchester Arena, and the whole occasion clearly left a huge impression on the victor.

Weighing up whether it eclipsed the night late last year when he first won the world title against another feared South American — Darleys Perez — Crolla said: “I think that topped the night in November. I think it felt so good because it was such a tricky first defence.

“There were people who said I’d duck Barroso, but I see this not perhaps as a defining fight, but it’s one that will be remembered by me and everyone who was in the Arena for a long, long time. Barroso’s people certainly under-estimated me.

“They thought I was just going to turn up and they were going to blow me over — I firmly believe that — but I knew after just 30 seconds exactly how the fight was going to go.

“As the rounds went on I could see Barroso was getting more and more frustrated. When he can see his shots are not getting through it must be tough.

“One thing I can do is stick to a plan, and that has paid off handsomely this time.

“Once I started landing a few body shots I knew it would only be a matter of time.”

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Bolton’s Amir Khan couldn’t quite complete a memorable night for British boxing as he lost his WBC middleweight title tilt against Mexican Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

Khan had opened the bout well, but was KO’d by a huge shot in the sixth round in Las Vegas.