At the Manchester Arena last night, Anthony Crolla made the first defence of his WBA lightweight crown he?d won, back in November, against Darleys Perez.
His opponent was the previously unbeaten Venezuelan fighter Ismael Barroso a fighter with a quality knockout record and a fighter who had punched Kevin Mitchell into retirement on his last visit to these shores.
With the fight underway, Crolla had to withstand a fast start from his big-punching opponent, with Barroso landing with head and body shots as he tried to claim the title early on.
However, Crolla weathered the storm and as the rounds passed by started to take control of the fight in round five.
Crolla?s accurate punching saw a cut open up above Barroso?s eye in sixth and at one stage he slipped to the canvas although it wasn?t deemed a knockdown.
But Barroso?s fast start had taken a lot out of him and when Crolla connected with a body shot Barroso sunk to the canvas a beaten man.
The win extends Crolla?s record to 31 wins from 38 fights while Barroso saw his slip to 19-1-2.
Speaking to the media after his fine win, Crolla had this to say,
?This is my house and nobody comes into my house and takes what I’ve got.
‘I knew I could beat him. I told Eddie Hearn that I’d beat him. It got my back up that people thought I’d avoid this fight.’
Barroso thought he would get me out of there after three rounds – and he did hit hard – but Joe Gallagher got his tactics spot on.
‘There was no way this title was leaving Manchester tonight. This might have just topped the night I won the world title for the first time.’
It was a sparkling performance from a fighter who has blossomed late in his career.
Crolla Stops Barroso in Seven Rounds
