Friday 24 March 2017 11:19, UK
Anthony Crolla has shown the character of a champion and his work-rate can bring him victory in rematch with Jorge Linares, says Tony Bellew.
Anthony Crolla is probably the best success story in the whole of British boxing. I don't know about Anthony personally, but from my perspective, the hard times drove me on even more.
After losing to Adonis Stevenson in Canada, that was the lowest point in my career. You have to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate things and think about what you want to do in the sport.
I did and chose to move up in weight. Anthony Crolla did a similar thing when he stepped up from super-featherweight to lightweight.
True character and a true champion is shown in defeat and how you come back from it.
True character and a true champion is shown in defeat and how you come back from it. Anthony Crolla has bounced back from defeat, like I have, and has shown the true colours of a champion. You find out a lot more about someone in a loss, then you ever will when they win.
I see it being a really tough, hard-fought fight with Jorge Linares, but I just see Anthony Crolla edging it on points with the better work-rate. I think his game-plan will be on point this time and I think he will stick to it stringently.
Both guys might go in there with a bit of caution, because they have seen each other's ability and felt their power. It could be a very close, tense affair, and probably will come down to the last few rounds of the fight and who wants it most. I think that will be Anthony Crolla.
A close points decision win for Crolla could set up the final fight of a trilogy.
Watch Jorge Linares vs Anthony Crolla II and a packed undercard, live from the Manchester Arena, from 7pm, Saturday, Sky Sports 1.
