Carl Johanneson Eager For Anthony Crolla Showdown

By Terence Dooley

Carl Johanneson eased into a British super-featherweight title eliminator with English title-holder Anthony Crolla – who will also defend his belt – by posting an eight-round shutout points win over South Shields’s George Watson at the Doncaster Dome.

Johanneson, 30-4 (19), looked his usual methodic self, stalking Watson around the ring and landing booming rights as the fight progressed.   Carl had looked imperious at the British title level during 2006 but lost his way when vying for the EBU belt against Levan Kirakosyan in July 2007.

In what was largely a rust shedding exercise, Carl showed glimpses of his intimidating form of old during the Watson win; underlining the performance by flooring his man heavily with a left hook to the body late in round seven.

Watson, who fell to 8-3-2 (1), got on his bicycle in the final session, seeking to wind the clock down and protect his slender ribcage.   Although bloodied, Watson was very much unbowed by the final bell, picking up valuable experience from sharing the ring with a former British champion.

Carl, 32, looked full of life, he takes on Manchester’s Crolla at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium on February 26 and will have to roll back the years once again to halt Crolla’s recent surge.

“I’m not at my best yet.  I just want to get the rounds under my belt and get ready for Crolla.  I’m ready, I hope he’s ready, and it could be the fight of the year,” revealed Carl when speaking to Sky Sports, the Yorkshireman delivered a FOTY once before when losing his British title to Kevin Mitchell in 2008.

“Carl will bring power, I will bring excitement and it will certainly be a candidate for fight of the year 2011.  I won’t be denied a shot at the British title,” answered Crolla.

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