By Daily Sports on October 8, 2017

Anthony Crolla edged a fantastic non-title lightweight contest against Ricky Burns at the Manchester Arena.

The referees scored it 116-113, 117-112, 116-114, a unanimous victory that seemed larger than the margin between the fighters on the night.

Both Crolla, 30, and Burns, four years his senior, went into the bout off the back of world title losses.

But at the end of a frenetic encounter, the Mancunian can look forward to another possible world title fight.

For the Scot, suffering a seventh defeat in 49 fights, there will be a period of reflection. Prior to Saturday's bout he had indicated he would only retire when he started to take punishment in the ring or when he is tired of the dieting, which he had to do to come down to 135lb from his recent super-lightweight, 140lb, fighting weight.

Crolla came in to the fight off the back of two points defeats by Venezuela's WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares, in September last year and then in March. A point win over a three-weight former world champion will boost his belief and ranking.

•Photo shows Anthony Crolla.

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 8, 2017

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