Anthony Crolla’s Manchester Miracle
On November 21, 2015, Anthony Crolla knocked out Darleys Perez in the fifth round in Manchester to win the WBA lightweight championship.
Anthony Crolla’s championship story turned on persistence across two fights with Darleys Perez. Their first meeting ended in a draw; the rematch gave the Manchester lightweight the defining win of his career. From there, Crolla became a world champion, defended his title and faced Jorge Linares twice in one of the division’s most demanding stretches.
Crolla first met Perez in July 2015, challenging for the WBA lightweight title. The bout was scored a draw, leaving the champion with his belt and Crolla with the need to earn another opportunity. When they met again on November 21, Crolla seized it: he stopped Perez in the fifth round and became WBA champion. It was a clear, emphatic result after the uncertainty of the first fight.
His first defense came against Ismael Barroso in May 2016. Crolla stopped the Venezuelan in the seventh round, a notable win over a dangerous challenger that kept the title in Manchester. The victory set up a fight with Jorge Linares later that year, with Crolla’s WBA belt, The Ring championship and the WBC Diamond belt at stake (BoxRec title record).
Linares won their September 24, 2016 meeting by unanimous decision, taking Crolla’s WBA belt. They rematched on March 25, 2017, and Linares again won on points. Crolla did not regain the title, but the second contest gave him another chance against an elite champion and confirmed how difficult it would be to reclaim the division’s top spot.
Crolla’s reign was brief, but its milestones were hard-earned: a draw that forced a second meeting, a knockout title win, a successful defense, and two high-level contests with Linares. His boxing career remains closely tied to the nights he fought for Manchester and the lightweight championship. Explore more MMAUSA profiles of fighters.
Defining Fight Results
Crolla’s first fight against Darleys Perez ended in a draw, leaving him without the WBA lightweight championship despite a determined performance. Their rematch resolved the matter: Crolla stopped Perez in the fifth round to win the belt. His successful defense against Ismael Barroso further demonstrated that the breakthrough was not an isolated moment. Later encounters with Jorge Linares tested him against another accomplished champion.
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Anthony Crolla, Boxing, Boxing History, Championship Fights
