BoxRec

Great fight to make, absolute pick 'em. MAYBE Rees top level exerience will just be the telling factor, but based on how they both dealt with Watson, then Crolla has to have a big chance. I like Crolla a lot off his last few fights, so I just pick him tentatively, Gallagher is very good at the gameplans and Crolla is very good at sticking to them.

TheCobra wrote: Gallagher is very good at the gameplans and Crolla is very good at sticking to them.

good call

great that things are happening for crolla. he really is being moved up the ladder.

probably the absolute hardest fight out there for him - you'd think super feather is his real weight but holding that lightweight title gets him his stage.

rees faded mid-fight vs watson, and perhaps making the weight does sap something from him. whereas with crolla moving up, maybe adding that bit of strength...

joe gallagher has his hands full preparing for squat aggressors (macklin-gevor, crolla-rees) it appears.

reckon crolla is the best technical fighter in the UK, that he finds a way to hit that difficult rees target and guts out some tough periods.

maybe the best fight on the card.

Brilliant contest. Could well be a fight of the year contender.

Rees' strength will pose Crolla a new problem to overcome, but he's in such good form, who knows?

lefty wrote:personally i think the watson victory has flattered crolla,i think that fight proved watsons ineffiences more than crollas ability.

I disagree; John Watson is a fine and brave boxer; he is domestic title class for sure. Both Rees and Crolla showed they are a level above British Title level. I am really looking forward to the Rees v Crolla match up; I reckon there'll be well over 1,000 punches thrown if the bout goes 12 rounds.

Excellent fight, Crolla must stop Rees getting into his rhythmn. I'm not sure who is the strongest really. Yeah, Rees has a world title at Lightwelter - but has hardly been blowing them away at Lightweight. Crolla would certainly look bigger had this been at 9 stone 4.

simon fox wrote:

lefty wrote:personally i think the watson victory has flattered crolla,i think that fight proved watsons ineffiences more than crollas ability.

I disagree; John Watson is a fine and brave boxer; he is domestic title class for sure. Both Rees and Crolla showed they are a level above British Title level. I am really looking forward to the Rees v Crolla match up; I reckon there'll be well .over 1,000 punches thrown if the bout goes 12 rounds

rees will throw the quantity, crolla the quality

This is gonna be a cracker. Rees has mixed in the better company, but I've got a sneaking feeling that Crolla's gonna do somat here.

Guarenteed Entertainment is this one

This is a great fight. I love Crolla, never backs down from a challenge and this will be his biggest challenge yet. If it lives up to the potential fight of the year.

stevek3lly wrote:This is a great fight. I love Crolla, never backs down from a challenge and this will be his biggest challenge yet. If it lives up to the potential fight of the year.

Another one D

if you can back rres up - no easy thing - i think he's open for a left hook.

happened time after time in the kotelnik fight. obviously rees has made changes and was fighting much the bigger man...

certainly crolla has an outstanding left hook.

this is the best domestic fight out there.

just think, crolla was in a "fight triangle" at 130 involving himself, sykes and morris. they all faced each other and produced a war each time.

now he will complete a triangle at 135, featruing himself, watson and rees.

hope crolla comes out on top this time - he really is coming on.

another angle - i see this a s a"crossroads" fight. my view is crolla's a future world champ, and rees is a former champ (WBA 130).

I actually fancy Crolla's boxing ability in this one and thing he's improving all the time.

Rees is a very seasoned veteran now and at his ideal fighting weight, I just wonder if getting back to 135lb nowadays takes that bit out of him in the later rounds where this one will be won or lost.

I think the scales decides this fight - and Crolla, coming up in weight will have bags more energy down the stretch.

But Rees will rightfully be seen as the favourite, given his past achievments.

I see Rees taking the early rounds with Anthony like I said, pulling ahead down the stretch.

if i was in Rees' corner I would have him taking centre-ring and trying to make sure Rees did all the moving, for exactly that reason.

I am always very surprised at how very fast Gavins' hands are. He can really bewilder a fighter. Crolla is very well schooled and sticks to a game plan very well. This is a fascinating match up. I really hope Rees' nose holds and there are no bad cuts. These are 2 very good fighters and I feel we could be in for a fascinating bout.

Surprised at this matchup - Good on Crolla for taking it, but if Rees is on form, he wins it for me.

G0mez wrote:I actually fancy Crolla's boxing ability in this one and thing he's improving all the time.

Rees is a very seasoned veteran now and at his ideal fighting weight, I just wonder if getting back to 135lb nowadays takes that bit out of him in the later rounds where this one will be won or lost.

I think the scales decides this fight - and Crolla, coming up in weight will have bags more energy down the stretch.

But Rees will rightfully be seen as the favourite, given his past achievments.

I see Rees taking the early rounds with Anthony like I said, pulling ahead down the stretch.

I don't think Rees has ever looked that comfortable in the later rounds. Too many years of being an overweight 6 round fighter. I'd say exhaustion played a part in him not seeing the 12 rounds out against Kotelnik

I'd also say he is still at least a weight division north of what he should be. I do rate him, he has excellent speed and skills, like a bigger, white, Napa, but not with quite as good reflexes, albeit with more power.

I think it's a good match up for Crolla, not completely confident he will win, but what an opportunity to jump up the ratings at lightweight, the guy is a bit of a throwback.

If the opportunities were there however, I'd still like to see him back down at super feather

Rees wins clearly, different class

Counter-puncher wrote:if i was in Rees' corner I would have him taking centre-ring and trying to make sure Rees did all the moving, for exactly that reason.

He usually fights the same way, against Kotelnik it was his downfall as he was continually open to counters and just kept walking into them. Kotelnik must have thought all his birthdays came at once.

Great fight & crolla has to be praised for accepting . Seems he,l box anyone at the mo. Having been in with both I can tell you ant is in Rees,s league for sure. He,s a lot me skillfull than Gavin. But Rees really is a buzzsaw. The man don't stop throwing punches .wish both lads well & good luck

orbtastic wrote:

Counter-puncher wrote:if i was in Rees' corner I would have him taking centre-ring and trying to make sure Rees did all the moving, for exactly that reason.

He usually fights the same way, against Kotelnik it was his downfall as he was continually open to counters and just kept walking into them. Kotelnik must have thought all his birthdays came at once.

good call, i think Crolla's tight defence and counterpunching is what makes me think he's got a good stylistic chance against Rees

Rees is out with nose injury according to MEN website

Noooooooooo!

how about buckland.

decent fight between 2 guys who cross the border between 130 and 135.

spoke to Crolla last night at Prizefighter, top lad

willing to fight anyone - genuinely loves the game and obviously buzzing off working with Joe G. I was throwing names at him like Buckland etc and he was just like "they're all good fights - i just want to be in good fights all the time" - refreshing to hear. Seemed like the type of lad who just goes about his work and his trainer/matchmaker make the fights - the only name he really reacted to was Gary Sykes who he really wants to re-match but obviously Anthony is fighting at Lightweight as a Champion and Gary is at Super-Feather so that's difficult to make at the moment.

He was full of good words for Sykes and his other opponents and just seems like a genuinely respectful, committed lad which is great to see given that his fight recently against Watson made me think, at least, that he was possibly the most improved fighter in the UK and has genuine star potential.

Domestically Sykes v this improved version of Crolla is a great fight for me but obviously doesn't make sense with them both holding the strap at different weights at the moment.