Crolla Signs Off

Former champ on big Manchester bill with Taylor, writes Daniel Herbert.

- Daniel Herbert

ONE of Manchester’s favourite boxing sons, Anthony Crolla, returns to the scene of his biggest triumph for a farewell fight on November 2.

Crolla, who will turn 33 a fortnight later, boxes on a bill at the Manchester Arena promoted by Matchroom, and televised by Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the USA. No opponent has yet been named, but it will be the final professional fight for Crolla, who in April was beaten in a challenge for WBA and IBF lightweight titles by Vasyl Lomachenko.

The Mancunian has fond memories of the venue, where in July 2015 he had a controversial draw with Darleys Perez for the vacant WBA 135lbs belt, only to put things straight with a seventh-round Knockout of the Colombian in the same building four months later.

In May 2016, in another outing at the Manchester Arena, he retained with a spectacular knockout of Ismael Barroso.

Crolla, 34-7-3 (13), has also notched wins there over Steve Foster Jnr, John Murray and Ricky Burns, while twice dropping a decision to Jorge Linares in world title bouts.

Official top of the bill on November 2 will be the bid by Irish heroine Katie Taylor to become world champion at a second weight.

Taylor, who has unified the IBF, WBO, WBA and WBC lightweight belts, will challenge Greece’s Christina Linardatou for the WBO title up at super-lightweight.