Anthony Crolla has the chance to make one of boxing’s great feelgood stories when he steps into the ring this Saturday night.
Last December, Crolla was in hospital fighting for his life with a fractured skull.
He had been hit over the head with a concrete slab after he had chased after two burglars who had broken into his neighbours’ home just outside Oldham.
Not only has he recovered from that, as well as a broken ankle, but now he is preparing to take on Colombian Darleys Perez for the WBA Lightweight title.
It was a long road back to full fitness, and an anxious wait to get the all-clear from the doctors, but Crolla insists that he has been inspired by the avalanche of support he has had.
It has ranged from Sir Alex Ferguson, former manager of his beloved Manchester United, to ordinary people in the street.
The 28-year-old jokes that the incident has greatly increased his profile but he wants to thank his new supporters by becoming World Champion on home turf at the Manchester Arena.
“Getting back into the ring was a massive motivation for my recovery,” he says. “I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t have boxed again.
“But reading all the messages of support really lifted me. It was truly humbling.
“I had messages from Lennox Lewis, who was my boxing hero, Manchester United players and I even had a phone call from Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I couldn’t quite believe it as I was on painkillers at the time and I wondered if I was imagining it.
“As a lifelong Red, I was star-struck. But Sir Alex told me that he’d seen my story on the news and he wanted to wish me well because he said I’d done a good thing.
“Yet it honestly meant just as much to get a card from an old lady, who lives a few streets away, thanking me and hoping I’d get better.
“Now I want to repay all these people by winning the world title. Having this opportunity was the best news I could have asked for.
“People talk about Las Vegas or Madison Street Garden, but for me, there’s nothing better as a Manchester lad than fighting here.
“Perez is a very good fighter and I’ll need a career-best performance to beat him.
“It’s been a crazy seven months but I do believe some things are meant to be, and this would be a dream come true.”
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe