Anthony Crolla

Two fights in September resulted in Crolla returning to winning ways against Robin Deakin on the 6th and then traveling to the York Hall in Bethnal Green on the 26th to meet Al Hamidi once more and to gain a revenge win over six rounds.

Crolla was scheduled to make his first defence of the title on the undercard of Carl Froch vs. George Groves at the Phones 4u Arena in Manchester against former WBU and European super featherweight champion Stephen Foster Jr. (31-4-1, 18 KO) on 23 November 2013.

On 30 June 2013, Crolla upset former WBA light-welterweight champion Gavin Rees (37-2-1, 18 KOs) with a majority decision at the Bolton Arena in Bolton.

The judges scored it 115-113 and 116–113 to Crolla, with one scoring it 115-115.

The fight was scheduled to take place on the undercard of David Haye vs. Manuel Charr, but that fight was called of when Haye had a hand injury.

Anthony Crolla (born 16 November 1986) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2006 to 2019.

Crolla made his professional contest on 14 October 2006 when he scored a points win over Abdul Rashid at the MEN Arena in Manchester.

Five more fights throughout the rest of the year and into 2007 resulted in five more victories giving Crolla an unbeaten record of 6–0 at the end of his first full year as a professional.

Crolla begun 2008 with a win in Germany on 19 January beating Tomasz Kwiecien and followed this up with another victory on 14 March, traveling to the Old Trafford Stadium to beat journeyman Steve Gethin.

On 5 April however, in his third fight of the year so far, Crolla lost his unbeaten record to Syrian Youssef Al Hamidi at the Bolton Arena, losing on points over 8 rounds.

Crolla finished 2008 with further victories over Carl Allen in October and Jon Baguley in December finishing the year with a record of 12–1.

Crolla begun 2009 on 14 March with a repeat victory over former opponent Carl Allen and then on 29 May took part in his most significant bout to date, a British title eliminator at the Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke.

The fight resulted in a second career defeat for Crolla as he lost a ten-round points decision to Gary Sykes.

On 25 September, he returned to ring and scored another victory over an opponent he had already met, Jon Baguley and then on 27 November met and defeated the former world champion Michael Brodie who had returned to the ring following a long lay off.

He continued his winning run in 2010 with victories over Jason Nesbitt, Sid Razak and Chris Riley before on 2 October challenging Andy Morris for the English super featherweight title.

The fight at the De Vere Whites hotel in Bolton resulted in a 7th round stoppage for Crolla and a first career title.

At regional level, he held the British lightweight title from 2011 to 2012, and challenged once for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title in 2013.

Crolla stepped up a weight division when on 12 February 2011 he challenged John Watson for the vacant British lightweight title.

Described as an "early contender for fight of the year" Crolla won the fight in the 9th round after scoring a 9th-round knockout.

Describing his move up a weight division after the fight Crolla said "I knew I'd be strong enough at lightweight, but I didn't know I'd be that strong. I'm in with strong kids in the gym all the time and they say my strength is underrated. But even I couldn't believe how strong I was."

On 16 March, Crolla vs. Gavin Rees was added to the Amir Khan-Paul McCloskey WBA title fight undercard on 16 April at the MEN Arena in Manchester.

Rees pulled out of the fight on 24 March due to a nose injury.

On 21 April 2012, Crolla lost his British lightweight title to 28-year-old Liverpudlian Derry Matthews at the Oldham Sports Centre.

Matthews knocked Crolla down in the 3rd round, and the fight was eventually stopped with four seconds remaining in the 6th round.

In September 2012, Crolla entered the Prize-Fighter Series for lightweights.

The tournament took place on 6 October at the Liverpool Olympia.

Entering the tournament, Crolla was the favourite to win.

A day earlier it was announced that Crolla would fight Stephen Jennings in the quarter finals.

Crolla won the fight after 3 rounds in what many felt was the best display of the night.

Crolla reached the semi-final stage, losing a very close points decision that could have gone either way to Gary Sykes.

Sykes went on to lose to Terry Flanagan in the final.

Kieran Farrell was at the time a young up and coming prospect that had beaten the 14 opponents put before him.

His new promoter Dave Coldwell fancied his fighters chances against Crolla, feeling he may be on the slide.

Crolla beat Farrell; just after the final bell Farrell collapsed and was rushed to hospital.

He had had a brain injury during the contest and would no longer be able to box.

A rematch between Crolla and Matthews took place on 30 March 2013.

The fight ended in draw, with one judge scoring the fight 115-115, whilst the remaining two gave Crolla and Matthews 115-113 apiece.

Crolla started the fight very cautious and allowed Matthews to score without much reply.

The middle rounds were closer and Crolla took the later rounds.

He held the WBA lightweight title from 2015 to 2016, and challenged once for the unified WBA and WBO lightweight titles in 2019.