Weigh-In results from Manchester: Crolla weighed 134.3 lbs., Barroso weighed 134.2 lbs.
Anthony Crolla says prove he is the best Lightweight in the World as he defends his WBA World title against Ismael Barroso at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.
Crolla is the underdog against the hard-hitting challenger that made a name for himself in December when he KO’d Kevin Mitchell inside five rounds at The O2 in London to land the mandatory position.
‘Million Dollar’ has taken that underdog status in his stride having landed the title in a rematch against Darleys Perez where the bookies went with the visitor on that occasion too, and the Manchester fan favourite believes he’ll upset the odds again this weekend against the avoided Venezuelan.
“There was no way I was going to swerve Barroso,” said Crolla. “I’ll fight anyone and I wasn’t about to duck my mandatory, no matter how dangerous. He’s been swerved and avoided, but when you are the champion it’s your responsibility to fight the best opponents out there and he fits the bill.
“Barroso showed against Kevin that he was more than just a raw, wild big puncher. He showed he had ability and a boxing brain. That wasn’t the best Kevin Mitchell that night. I felt at the weigh-in that it was going to be a tough night for Kev as he looked a bit frail and he looked a bit old in there.
“I’ve been the underdog a lot in my career and it’s worked well for me, I’ve thrived off it. It’s not often the World champion is the underdog when he defends a title, but here we are. I’ve proved people wrong and I will keep doing it. I’ve improved since the Perez fight and I’m going to show it on Saturday.”
Crolla’s first defence comes on a huge night of action in Manchester as Welterweights Shayne Singleton and Adil Anwar can take great strides in their careers as they meet for the vacant WBC International Silver strap.
Crolla’s gym mate Marcus Morrison fights for his first title fight against Jefferson Luiz De Souza for the vacant WBC International Silver Middleweight belt, one of five Joe Gallagher-trained fighters in action alongside Crolla, the return of former World Super-Middleweight title challenger Paul Smith and unbeaten Light-Heavyweights Hosea Burton and Callum Johnson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqAVWux-HHI
Martin Murray warms up with his summer showdown with George Groves, Hull Lightweight Tommy Coyle gets back in the ring and there’s action for former Team GB star Warren Baister, Dublin’s Jono Carroll, Prestwich’s Sean Ben Mulligan and Sale’s Ben Sheedy.
Tickets are on general sale £40, £60, £80 and £100 www.manchester-arena.com or by calling 0844 847 8000. VIPs are available exclusively through www.matchroomboxing.com priced at £200.
Tickets for May 7 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.
DONT MISS CROLLA-BARROSO PREVIEW TONIGHT 10.30PM SKY SPORTS 1
Tonight you can relive Anthony Crolla’s emotional World Title victory over Darleys Perez back in November last year. Plus an exclusive interview with the WBA Lightweight Champion on his dangerous 1st defence against Ismael Barroso on Saturday night.
Crolla was roared onto victory by his home crowd in Manchester after taking Perez to a draw in their controversial first fight.
His world title win came less than a year after he suffered a fractured skull when confronting burglars near his home.
Crolla on beating Perez ‘With the 2nd fight, it was the last 3 or 4 days – I got this belief in me. I just couldn’t see there was any way in me losing the fight. Eddie Hearn told me after it, he’d come in the changing rooms to see me and he was half annoyed because he thought I was too laid back! I knew it was a matter of ‘do what I have to do’ and I’d be the new world champion.’
Crolla on facing Barroso ‘I’m going in a slight underdog, but that’s something I thrive on and has worked well for me in the past. It feels like a challenge because of the amount of people saying I wasn’t going to fight him, that I was going to try and swerve him. It really got my back up a little bit. I thought ‘I’m gonna show you’. When you become a champion you take on the best challenges that you can, I think Ismael Barroso fits that bill. Whether he gets out-boxed for the 12 rounds, or if I get close to him and make things uncomfortable for him, I will find a way to win’
CROLLA v BARROSO PREVIEW
TONIGHT
10.30PM
SKY SPORTS 1
CROLLA v BARROSO – LIVE
SATURDAY
7.30PM
SKY SPORTS 2
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Heading into his showdown with WBA World Lightweight Champion Anthony Crolla (30-4-3, 12 KOs) this Saturday night at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, UK, WBA #1-rated contender and interim champion Ismael Barroso (19-0-2, 18 KOs) and his team wish to offer their sincere respect to the “future former champion.”
“He is a true champion,” said Barroso of Crolla. “There were easier domestic fights for more money he could have taken, but he wanted to do the right thing and face his top challenger. I admire him for that.”
Unfortunately, the murderous punching Barroso, of El Tigre, Venezuela, says he’ll be ending the brave Englishman’s run as champion on Saturday night.
“He (Crolla) won the WBA title by an upset last year and he’s a likeable man,” continued Barroso, “but all good things come to an end. When they help him up after the fight Saturday, he will have all my respect and I wish him very well for the rest of his life.”
Greg Cohen, promoter of Barroso, agrees with his fighter’s sentiment.
“Anthony is a true champion, but he’s in way over his head in this one. And him being in his home country and the fans backing him, that only makes Ismael that much more determined. Crolla has had a great and surprising run as champion, but there’s not much anyone can do for him in the face of the kind of power he’s up against.”
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Anthony Crolla, the defending WBA World Lightweight champion, will be seen sporting a stunning new look during fight week for his defence against Ismael Barroso at the Manchester Arena on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, as he takes to the wheel of a brand new Aspire Design Range Rover Sport.
The bespoke SUV will be with Crolla and his team, including coach Joe Gallagher, as they attend today’s Fight Week press conference, as well the weigh-in and pre-fight training sessions throughout the North West.
Established in 2015, Aspire Design is already becoming a leading exponent of bespoke British automotive design, craftsmanship and manufacture, and offers an exclusive body styling program for Range Rover Sport and Vogue models. The company also hopes to soon employ its skills on other marques too, such as Rolls Royce, Bentley and Lamborghini.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvAzWVP9b8Q
Every element of the Aspire Design body styling program is manufactured in the UK, which ensures precision engineering and the highest standards of quality.
From soft napa leather interiors which are hand-stitched in England, to a range of 22-inch concave alloy wheels all designed and crafted in Britain from the finest quality aluminium. So it seems only fitting that Crolla should choose such a quintessentially British brand with which to partner during Fight Week.
Ajay Vasdev, Founding Director of Aspire Design said, “We are very excited and proud that Anthony Crolla has chosen to drive an Aspire Design Range Rover Sport during Fight Week”.
He went on to add, “Aspire Design is based in the North West, and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to support a fellow North West champion. It’s an honour and a privilege that such a high profile celebrity has chosen one of our luxury SUVs”.
Joe Gallagher, world class trainer and Anthony Crolla’s coach, said, “I would like to thank Aspire Design for allowing us the opportunity to enjoy the Aspire Design Range Rover Sport during Fight Week. It’s an exciting time, and to be able to enjoy the luxury of such a unique and bespoke British designed SUV is a privilege”.
Crolla trains at Gallagher’s Gym, which is part of the Gloves Community Centre built by Amir Khan and has produced a number of World champions.
For further information or to discover more about the Aspire Design Range Rover body styling program, visit www.aspire-design.co.uk. Alternatively, the Aspire Design team will be doing a North West roadshow this summer. Details of dates and locations will be made available online at www.aspire-design.co.uk
Tickets for Crolla’s defence are on general sale £40, £60, £80 and £100 www.manchester-arena.com or by calling 0844 847 8000. VIPs are available exclusively through www.matchroomboxing.com priced at £200.
Tickets for May 7 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.
