Anthony Crolla's recovery from a fractured skull after being attacked while apprehending burglars at a neighbours home last Christmas was described yesterday by his consultant trauma surgeon as "remarkable" after a "potentially career-ending" injury which could have left the 29-year-old brain-damaged.
Crolla was hit over the head by the burglars by a concrete block as they jumped over a wall making their escape.
Yet driven by the dream of winning a world title, Crolla, 29, meets Colombian Darleys Perez in a rematch for the World Boxing Association lightweight title at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night.
"Anthony's recovery was remarkable after the attack, and he had a very, very positive, upbeat attitude," the fighter's consultant trauma surgeon, Ms Sabeen Akhtar, told The Telegraph on Friday. "He was so close to his world title opportunity in January, such a psychological knock back could really have affected him significantly, but he had such a positive, compliant attitude as a patient, he willed himself to do well. He really pushed himself to the limit."
Crolla is determined not to let this opportunity pass
"He had fractured his skull, but luckily he hadn't damaged the blood vessels underneath," explained Ms Akhtar to The Telegraph. "He was lucky from a medical perspective that it did not penetrate his brain. In terms of the damage, it's still remarkable. Inside four weeks, he was out off plaster and then back to boxing within a few months. If he had developed any complications from his injuries, it would have been potentially career-ending. He's a really humble guy and the dreams he has of reaching the pinnacle have carried him through. Anthony is a remarkable man."
Crolla was on the end of a tough call on his return to the ring in his first meeting with Perez in July, when the judges handed him a draw for his heroic efforts in the performance of his career against the champion. When Perez was deducted points in the 11th and 12th rounds for low blows, the result was all the more galling.
“I didn’t watch the fight for a few months,” said Crolla. “It was a bit gutting watching it back because I found it hard to see that I had not won."
Yet for his game plan, he was forced to go over it with trainer Joe Gallagher. "Every time I watch it, it doesn’t get any easier. I still think I won it, but I can make it right this time. I've thought about winning the world title every single day,” said Crolla.
Crolla and Perez at the weigh-in
“I think about it going into the gym, before I go to sleep, over and over. I will do everything I can to make that dream come true."
Perez has lost just once, to the very talented puncher Yuriorkis Gamboa, in 34 contests.
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“People say it was a career-best performance. It might have been, but I have improved since then," reasoned Crolla. "In the last fight there were times that I out boxed him, times I hurt him, and that gives me huge confidence. I am sure he's going to start fast and try to impose himself on me, to try to show that it wasn’t him at his best last time and I look forward to answering the questions that he is going to ask me." Last time out, it was Crolla timing, counters and work-rate which, in my view, won him the fight by two rounds. 'Million Dollar' Crolla, the unbreakable man, needs to replicate that template to lift the belt.
Crolla faces Perez on a busy Manchester bill as the vacant British crown at light-welterweight is on the line in a rematch between Chris Jenkins and Tyrone Nurse, whilst highly-touted Irishman Ryan Burnett faces Jason Booth for the vacant British Bantamweight title.
VERDICT: Crolla by split points decision.
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