By Elliot Foster
Anthony Crolla is set for a spring return to the ring.
The Manchester lightweight world champion, who holds the WBA crown at the weight, looks set to defend the title against his mandatory challenger when he steps through the ropes for only third time since his horrific burglar ordeal in 2014.
Crolla (30-4-3, 12 KOs) stopped Colombia’s Darleys Pérez inside five rounds at the Manchester Arena in November to claim the title and Ismael Barroso, the Venezuelan interim WBA title holder with a record of 19-0-2 (18), is next in line.
BoxingScene.com has learned that the mandated showdown –– which the WBA ruled must happen by April 12 –– is expected to be confirmed in the next few weeks, with May 7 at the same setting the anticipated date and venue.
Should Crolla come through the tough challenge ahead of him, plans call for his pursuit of a lightweight title unification match later in the year.
His intended target was WBA lightweight champ Jorge Linares. However, the three-division titlist from Venezuela is out with a fractured right mitt which delayed his ordered mandatory title defense versus Dejan Zlatician, for which he remains on the hook upon his ring return.
Elliot Foster is part of the BoxingScene.com UK news team. Twitter: @FreelanceFoz