Now is the time for Terry Flanagan v Anthony Crolla, it’s a great fight for both of them – Boxing opinion
After making the fifth defence of his WBO lightweight title against Petr Petrov on Saturday night, Manchester’s Terry Flanagan called out fellow world champions Jorge Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko.
Linares and Lomachenko are two elite fighters and both would be sensational bouts for Flanagan to be involved in. If promoter Frank Warren can deliver his Manchester man a fight with either of those two, nobody should complain.
However, this is boxing and for that reason Warren should realistically be planning plenty of options for Flanagan, rather than just plan A and plan B.
Strangely though, Flanagan’s promoter is continuing to rule out any possibility of an all-Manchester clash between his man and former WBA lightweight champion Anthony Crolla. Warren claims that as Crolla lost his last two fights, both to Linares, he would not be considered as an eligible challenger for Flanagan by the WBO.
That’s nothing a quick trip to Barcelona couldn’t fix though, eh Frank?
Those unfamiliar with what I’m hinting at here should take a look at Liam Smith’s record. After losing his WBO light-middleweight world title to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez last September, Liam Smith fought a four-rounder against a Spanish journeyman in order to get himself a win, meaning he could then fight Liam Williams for the WBO ‘interim’ title.
Crolla is currently not ranked with the WBO, but given how impressive his record is compared with some of the fighters ranked above him, I’m sure this wouldn’t be too difficult to rectify.
But you may be asking: “Why should Flanagan look at Crolla now? Crolla’s just been beaten by Linares, surely Flanagan should be targeting winners, not losers?”
The truth of the matter is that Terry Flanagan’s profile is miniscule compared to Anthony Crolla’s.
Flanagan needs this fight because it gives him the chance to become a big name in British boxing. Crolla needs this fight because it gives him the chance to become a world champion again. And Frank Warren/BT need this fight because if Golovkin-Saunders falls apart, which is looking very possible, then they’re going to be left with a massive PPV-shaped void in their new schedule - a void which could be filled by Flanagan-Crolla.
Imagine what a coup it would be for Warren and BT to take one of Sky’s stars and have him fight in a big PPV show (unfortunately it would probably have to be PPV) on their channel within six months of this new partnership beginning.
These two boys grew up in the same area together; they went to the same school together, why the hell can’t now we get them in the same ring together?