Anthony Crolla: record, next fight and profile →
By Michael Rosenthal - LOS ANGELES – No one is surprised that Vasyl Lomachenko dominated and then stopped Anthony Crolla in three-plus rounds Friday at a packed Staples center. That’s what we’ve come to expect from the Ukrainian boxing wizard, who has overwhelmed almost all of his opponents. The th...
Lomachenko, Crolla Scorecard BoxingScene Live - This Friday live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The reigning WBA/WBO lightweight – and widely regarded pound-for-pound –champion, Vasiliy Lomachenko (12-1, 9 KOs), is set to defend his unified lightweight world title against mandatory challenger Anthony Crolla (34-6-3, 13 KOs).
Vasiliy Lomachenko's +18.1 plus/minus rating is #1 among active championship caliber fighters. Loma landed 47.2% of his power punches- nearly 12% higher than lightweight averaged. Loma landed 7.7 jabs per round, well above the lightweight average and #4 among champ. caliber fighters.
Anthony Crolla has overcome enough obstacles in and especially out of the ring to where those closest to him can’t help but to believe in his chances ahead of the biggest fight of his pro career. The former lightweight titlist from Manchester, England is a massive underdog heading into his mandatory title challenge of unified 135-pound titlist and pound-for-pound entrant Vasiliy Lomachenko this Friday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
Vasiliy Lomachenko is in a no-win situation at this point in his career. Convincingly beat fighters like Anthony Crolla and some boxing fans will say he was supposed to do so. Struggle (of even lose) against fighters like Crolla and those same people will say Lomachenko is overrated or overhyped.
By Michael Rosenthal - Vasyl Lomachenko’s frustration is admirable. The man wants real challenges, not gimmies like Anthony Crolla. And he has difficulty hiding his feelings. I was at a press conference a few days before he fought Miguel Marriaga on August 5, 2017. Lomachenko had hoped to face rugged veteran Orlando Salido – the only man to beat him – in a rematch on that date but the fight didn’t materialize, which allowed the limited Colombian to step in...
Anthony Crolla is aware of the obstacles he’ll encounter Friday night more than anyone. The former WBA world lightweight champion recognizes that Vasiliy Lomachenko is much more skillful and athletic than him. England’s Crolla still feels he can compete with the three-division champion in a 12-round, 135-pound championship match that has routinely been blasted by fans and media as a useless mandatory mismatch.
Anthony Crolla will look to significantly burnish his legacy on Friday night but the Manchester fighter is already satisfied with what he has achieved in the ring. Not many would have tipped Crolla for world honours in 2012 after he followed up losing his British lightweight title to Derry Mathews with defeat to Gary Sykes in a Prizefighter tournament.
Vasyl Lomachenko (12-1, 9 KOs) risks his two lightweight world titles at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles when he takes on Britain’s Anthony Crolla. Crolla (34-6-3, 13 KOs) is a big underdog against the masterful Lomachenko, whose technique and athleticism have propelled him from two Olympic gold medals to the short list of the world’s greatest pound-for-pound fighters.
Lomachenko, Crolla Weights Los Angeles Photos Gallery - This Friday live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The reigning WBA/WBO lightweight – and widely regarded pound-for-pound –champion, Vasiliy Lomachenko (12-1, 9 KOs), is set to defend his unified lightweight world title against mandatory challenger Anthony Crolla (34-6-3, 13 KOs). The undercard bouts will also stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET. All the evening’s fights will be available in Spanish on ESPN+. (photos by Ed Mulholland, Mikey Williams).