Anthony Crolla, Marcus Morrison and more make the agenda
Sunday 8 May 2016 15:09, UK
Anthony Crolla defended his title in some style and headlines our review of a brutal night of boxing in Manchester.
Crolla keeps on surprising
Ismael Barroso arrived back in Britain feared as the biggest threat to the world lightweight champions. Crolla dismissed any suggestions he would try to swerve his mandatory challenger and hid himself away in Joe Gallagher's gym, concocting a game plan. Bookmakers favoured the big-hitting Venezuelan.
The early signs were as expected - Barroso battering Crolla's tight guard and enjoying some degree of success; reddening the champion's forehead immediately and continuing to tee-off with his customary enthusiasm. The visitor had accounted neither for Crolla's discipline nor his opportunism, though, and was being visibly stunned by counters as early as the fifth round. An innocuous body shot earned the knockout but by then, Gallagher's tactics and Crolla's clinical execution of them had already earned the victory.
Johnny Nelson dubbed the Mancunian 'the No 1 lightweight in the world' immediately afterwards.
So near yet so far?
The fight that Manchester may demand now is a clash between two of its current boxing heroes, because Crolla is of course not the only world lightweight champion in the city. WBO king Terry Flanagan used to attend the same school as 'Million Dollar' and both have expressed enthusiasm at the idea of a unification bout.
In assessing the ongoing but unresolved rivalry between Amir Khan and Kell Brook, former world champion Glenn McCrory spoke about the territorial nature of the sport, stating: "When I was fighting, I could never have a cruiserweight from Newcastle saying he was better than me. Let's find out who the best welterweight in the north of England is." The same could be applied to Crolla, Flanagan and Manchester.
Unification bouts are a rare treat, let alone between compatriots, let alone between men from the same city, let alone the same school. It will be a shame if politics prevents it.
Chisora left frustrated
The Swiss judge who scored Dereck Chisora's bid for the European heavyweight title in his favour succeeded in raising eyebrows but his card was perhaps a protest against the performance of the referee rather than against the performance of Pulev, who advances in the IBF rankings towards a shot at current champion Anthony Joshua (behind the winner of Joseph Parker v Carlos Takam).
Take nothing away from Pulev; he showed glimpses of world class when he reeled off a significant number of one-two combinations - but the Bulgarian's greatest success came in negating Chisora's attempts to fight on the inside. The length and speed of Pulev's jab was impressive but as soon as Chisora navigated around or through it, the referee made no attempt to prevent Pulev holding.
Whether Chisora would have got closer on the scorecards had the Spanish official helped him get closer physically, we'll never know.
Dancing in Deutschland?
When Sky Sports' fight night broadcast switched to Hamburg, Pulev was due to enter the arena immediately. Rather than that, viewers watched a full rock band - Beyond the Black - perform an entire song to welcome the Bulgarian. Eventually, the screen behind them parted and the former world title challenger surged through their stage towards the ring.
We've seen similar turns of events this side of the pond; Kevin Mitchell being serenaded by The Cockney Rejects on his way to the ring to face Michael Katsidis at Upton Park springs to mind but in general, elaborate ring walks are reserved for huge stadium fights (think George Groves' open-top bus entrance at Wembley for Froch v Groves II). Over in Germany, boxing matches seem opportunities for bands to showcase themselves.
Whatever your opinion on krautrock... and I confess to being unsure if Beyond the Black qualify as that, the ringwalk of a 'home' fighter in Germany is certainly 'different.'
A new hero for Hattersley
Marcus Morrison seized his chance on the big occasion as he blasted Jefferson Luiz de Souza out in the second round. The super-welterweight (up at middleweight on this occasion), is from the same Hattersley estate as a certain Ricky Hatton and as he breezed to 11-0-KO8, onlookers could not help but be impressed by the way he went about his business.
His trainer, Joe Gallagher, said afterwards: "Ricky Hatton took 30,000 fans to Las Vegas. Who knows where Marcus Morrison will be in a couple of years?" Comparisons between the two are of course drastically premature, but it's probable the Tameside locals will delight in throwing their support behind another Manchester City fan carrying the torch in the direction of boxing's summit.
You couldn't build a boxer with a much better physique than Morrison and if he can refine his natural speed and power, he's set for big things.
