HATTON Promotions boxer Anthony ‘Million Dollar’ Crolla will challenge John Watson for the vacant British lightweight title in Liverpool on Saturday February 12.
Crolla, 24, is stepping up a weight division and accepted the short notice job after Gavin Rees decided to vacate.
Although the exciting Mancunian has just two weeks to prepare for his shock chance, he has been preparing to face Carl Johanneson in late February.
Hatton Promotions Director of Boxing Richard Poxon: “It is a fantastic opportunity for Anthony and one he didn’t hesitate to accept.
“Of course, he would have got a shot at the British super-featherweight championship if he defeated Carl, but this is a job he really fancies.”
The early part of 2011 is developing into an exciting period for Hatton Promotions with numerous fighters in big fight action.
Matthew Hatton travels to Anaheim, California to face unbeaten Mexican sensation Saul Alvarez in Anaheim on March 5
Manchester Craig Watson headlines at Wembley Arena on February 19 when he challenges John O’Donnell for the vacant British welterweight crown.
A week later Stephen Foster Jr makes his first defence of the European super-featherweight championship against mandatory challenger Ermano Fegatilli.
Poxon added: “The quality of our fighters at Hatton Promotions and what Anthony is doing shows they do not fear stepping up to the plate.”
Crolla has won 19 of his 21 fights and is on a six fight winning streak since teaming up with trainer Joe Gallagher in August 2009. His fight against Johanneson will now be called off.
WATSON GETTING THE BEST OF BRITISH
CRAIG WATSON believes sparring with two of British boxing’s leading prospects will earn him sweet revenge over John O’Donnell.
The Hatton Promotions star heads the bill at Wembley Arena on Saturday February 19 when he challenges O’Donnell for the vacant British welterweight title.
Watson, 27, is still simmering with rage over a controversial split decision defeat against the Londoner back in April 2009.
To make sure he is the shape of his life, Craig has been sparring with undefeated fighters Jamie Cox and Frankie Gavin ahead of the all southpaw clash.
Commonwealth light-middleweight champion Watson said: “O’Donnell is like a pencil compared to Jamie who is such a strong man.
“Jamie can really whack and if I can push him back what chance has O’Donnell got? I really want to put it on him.
“The sparring with Jamie has been fantastic and we have really gone for it. We have earned each other’s respect.”
Watson believes Gavin’s boxing skills are a level above O’Donnell’s and added: “You won’t see a more skilful boxer in Britain than Frankie.
“If I can somehow work Frankie out in the gym then I will be more than comfortable against O’Donnell.”
By the time fight night comes, Watson will have sparred more than 100 rounds at Joe Pennington’s Clayton gym.
He says: “I think I won the first fight against O’Donnell, but I could have done a lot more in my preparations, but this time I have left nothing to chance.
“When I have won this fight I would love to move up to European title level, but a lot will depend on whether Matthew Hatton vacates.
“Another friend Denton Vassell holds the Commonwealth title, but he is a really close friend and we go back a long way so I don’t really want to face him.”
Steve BunceÆs Thriller æThe FixerÆ Reprinted – In The Shops Now!
Boxing aficionados are in for a double treat this week, Mark WahlbergÆs movie æThe FighterÆ hits the big screen and Steve æMr BoxingÆ BunceÆs excellent thriller æThe FixerÆ is back in the bookshops, resplendent in itÆs new cover, having gone to itÆs second print.
Whilst Mark Wahlberg based æThe FighterÆ on a well documented story of æIrishÆ Mickey WardÆs journey to the WBU World title. Steve takes a very different tack, instead of focusing on a well known boxer, his protagonist is from another realm of the sport altogether, one that I know only too well, as SteveÆs hero is a boxing writer come æmiddlemanÆ.
The Fixer , which was first published in April 2010, follows a month in the life of a
fight fixer called Ray Lester – he puts people in the fight business together and scrapes a living from a variety of legal jobs inside the boxing business.
Ray is contacted by a wayward blonde and asked to find her dad. He agrees and ends up coming close to too many nutjobs. He ends up in Las Vegas at the Hatton-Mayweather fight, on Atlantic City’s dirty boardwalk, in an East End gym and on the bleak streets of Blackpool trying to make sense of the carnage; at the same time he has to make an honest living from his list of fighters and mad contacts.
On the news that The Fixer has made a welcome return to the bookshops Steve said, “It’s a great time for the second print of the book to come out. The new film, The Fighter, just won two Golden Globes and will be a massive hit. In the USA a new boxing show on FX called Lights Out is getting rave reviews. This book fits right in there and there is clearly an appetite for an unconventional look at the boxing business.
I’ve been in the business since I was about ten at the old St.Pancras nursery near St.Pancras station, Las Vegas for over 50 fights, Olympic boxing, forgotten nights, deaths and a zillion ringsides talking cobblers. Great way to waste a life!
There is a lot of talk about journeymen boxers at the moment with all the Prizefighter buzz. Well, my book is packed with journeymen and the men that control them and use them. In the book the journeyman comes close to getting a voice – close. He’s too bashed up to speak and has to eat a kebab through a straw!
The Fixer is part of a quartet – the second book will be out next year.
A lot of fight people have called me after reading it and told me: ‘I found it, I’ve found myself. Thanks, Steve.’ That’s quality.”
Steve Bunce, better known as Buncey, has worked as a journalist and broadcaster since 1985 and is widely regarded as ‘the voice of British boxing’.
A regular columnist for Boxing Monthly, Buncey also contributes to The Independent and the Sunday Herald. He has a monthly boxing show on BBC Radio Five Live and hosts a weekly boxing chat show on BBC Radio London 94.9 & DAB on Thursdays at 8pm.
The Fixer by Steve Bunce is available now on-line at Amazon.com and all good bookshops, RRP. ú9.99.