There is something about an all British bout that sends boxing fans into rapture and that is why the upcoming matchup between Anthony Crolla and Ricky Burns has already got fight fans waxing lyrical.
When they meet in Manchester it is for nothing more than the right to be the winner of a fight between two fine former world champions, but that will not make it any less of a contest.
Both fighters have hit stumbling blocks in their careers recently and with both men in their 30s time cannot allow another setback.
Crolla won his world title in spectacular fashion, stopping Darleys Perez to claim the WBA lightweight belt in 2015, but he was unable to regain the title in a courageous rematch defeat to Jorge Linares in March.t
Burns created Scottish boxing history last May when he became the country’s first ever three-weight world champion when he defeated Michele Di Rocco in Glasgow to land the WBA world super-lightweight title. But he also tasted defeat, losing his title in April in a points defeat to Julius Indongo.
Two great fighters..one absolute war! Just under 4 weeks til @ant_crolla and @ricksterko collide in Manchester live on @SkySports 👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/x9URtBLZIH
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) September 12, 2017
Both boxers have remarkably similar records with Crolla chalking up 31 wins (13 by KO) in 40 bouts, while Burns has 41 wins (14 by KO) in 41 fights.
The bookies have it tough to call but with home support they make Crolla favourite with the safe money going for a points victory.
But Burns will be bringing a lot of his own supporters to Manchester in two weeks’ time and will not be daunted by the prospect.
The key for either fighter will be to control the rounds in the middle of the fight as both know how to go the distance and neither have particularly explosive knock out power.
In theory it may be one for the purists but as is often the case in boxing, it is match ups like this that can make for the best fights. Both fighters know their careers are on the line so it may be far more explosive than both their styles would suggest.
British boxing has seen some great fights over the years, from Benn V Eubank to Froch V Groves and fight fans will hope that Crolla V Burns can be added to that incredible list.
