'Morris fight is the biggest of my life' - Anthony Crolla

With all the scandal surrounding British boxing legend Ricky Hatton at the moment, it is very easy to forget that on October 2nd at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton, Hatton Promotions stages one of the most eagerly anticipated shows of the year. Topping the bill, murderous puncher and European super-featherweight king Leva Kirakosyan puts his title on the line against Manchester favourite Stephen Foster Jnr in what should be a barn-burner of a fight.

Still, the match-up that is most intriguing the British boxing public is the vacant English super featherweight clash between Andy Morris (19-3 7KO) and Anthony Crolla (18-2 6KO, pictured left with Michael Bisping). This cross city battle has grasped the imagination of the trade, and although it isn't an official eliminator for Gary Sykes' British belt, it is is a final eliminator in everything but name.

The most interesting thing about this fight is, in my opinion, the fact that both competitors have so much left to offer. This isn't a young prospect being fed a faded ex-champ. Crolla has been there before, when he stopped Manchester legend Michael Brodie in three brutal rounds in November of last year, sending one of his heroes back into retirement. On the other hand, former British featherweight ruler Andy Morris is coming off a very unlucky defeat to the aforementioned Sykes for the British super-featherweight crown, a fight that many, including myself, thought he shaded. Anthony Crolla has rebounded from also losing to Sykes in May 2009 (in another close but less debatable decision) and is once again being being spoken about in the same vein as when Boxing News labelled him a 'hot prospect' in 2007. The ever likeable Crolla certainly knows he is in for a tough night come October 2nd.

“I really rate Andy and he is someone I have followed since we were kids, he was a top quality junior, won the ABA and got a Bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002. I have a lot of respect for him. Still, I have a job to do and I am happy to be fighting guys such as him, we are friends but this is business.”

The respect Crolla has for his opponent pours through in the conversation. This isn't going to be a cross City slanging match as we have seen in some of the recent Merseyside derbies. There is real respect here, but that doesn't make the fight an less exciting.

This fight wouldn't look out of place as a British title bout and would have been if Morris hadn't been at the wrong end of the split decision. It was a decision however, that Crolla agreed with, just.

“It really was to hard to call and could have gone either way, but I just about gave it to Sykes. Andy did the better work but Sykes did more of it. It was a case of 'what you like'”.

The closeness of the fight, once of the fights of the year, has really whetted the appetite of 'Million Dollar' Crolla.

“It was so exciting and our fight can't fail to be a classic either. At amateur we won at the same weight, just in different years. It is a battle of Manchester but also a battle of the two of the best in Britain. The winner is probably going to get that shot and a lot of people in the trade are looking forward to it.”

Still, taking a step back, I can't help wonder if the fight is a bit too good. I admit it, I have come from a time where fighters are kept apart, titles are split between the protagonists and everybody is kept happy. Anthony Crolla could easily go a different route to a title, the are plenty of different options for a young fighter in the modern era. Thankfully the likes of Crolla, and also Hatton Promotions have no wish to take a safety first attitude.

“We all know this is worth more than an English title and I won't sidestep anyone. The sport is about risk. The Board made the fight, the promoters put it on. It is one of those things, it's business.”

As previously mentioned, the big form line for this bout is Gary Sykes. Andy Morris lost a razor thin decision against him, in a fight he could have won. Crolla lost a decision in an eliminator, and although the fight was a belter, no-one argued with the verdict. Crolla looked good, but he didn't seem to have an 'X-Factor'. Going off this, Morris should have the edge. Anthony however, believes he is a completely new fighter compared to the one that suffered that defeat last year.

“I'm a totally different fighter Martin, and anyone who has seen me will agree. Me and Joe are working really well together and I've got a lot more strength since I got with Kerry Kayes. I'm in a better place mentally, I have a lot of belief in myself and I'm hitting a lot harder. I'm going to show that in the ring.”

For Crolla, it has been a bit of a roller coaster of a career. The stellar amateur and hot professional prospect turned into, in many peoples opinion, little more than a fringe British title contender. Good enough to give the champions a run for their money, but maybe not good enough to actually win it. To be fair it looked liked his professional venture could end up being a bit of a disappointment. It is a testament to Joe Gallagher, Kerry Kayes, Hatton Promotions and most of all, Anthony himself, that he has been able to brush himself off and once against become the prospect that those close to him always knew he was. Maybe this is one of the reasons that he is in no mood to look past Morris to a rematch with Gary Sykes.

“There is no chance of me looking past this. For me this is the biggest fight of my life. Andy is a real good fighter, I am an Andy Morris fan and I know I will have to bring my A-game to win it. Morris could be a harder fight for me than Sykes style-wise. I can't wait, these are the fights I want to be involved in.”

Still, despite the respect for his opponent, Anthony is super-confident of victory, though he accepts that things will get tough.

“There are going to be moments in that fight where it isn't going to be going my way and I will need to up my game. But I am studying his fights and I see things I can take advantage of. I'm 100% confident, it's a hard fight but I'm going to do it.”

Crolla is ready and determined to do his job. He acknowledges how difficult his task will be but there is real sense that this is his time. Nobody, not even Andy Morris will take that away from him. We could be less than two weeks away from something very special indeed.