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Anthony Crolla and Ricky Burns both needed a win today in Manchester, and each man fought like it, putting on an entertaining scrap that went Crolla’s way on scores of 116-113, 116-114, and 117-112. BLH scored the fight 116-112 for Crolla.
Crolla (32-6-3, 13 KO) looked a bit fresher, which makes sense since he’s a little younger and wasn’t the man coming back down in weight to 135. The 30-year-old also had home field advantage, which perhaps gave him an extra boost.
The win snaps a two-fight losing streak for Crolla, both defeats coming against Jorge Linares.
But the 34-year-old Burns (41-7-1, 14 KO) was in this fight the whole way, battling and showing that he still has at least a little bit left in the tank. That said, this is his second straight loss, after being outclassed earlier this year by Julius Indongo, and it’s not easy to figure where he goes next, with the clock always ticking at this point.
“I thought I definitely did enough, but man, I knew how big this guy’s engine was. He just kept coming,” Crolla said. “I knew he wouldn’t tire. He gave me a very, very tough fight.”
Crolla also said he wants another shot at a world title.
Burns said he thought he landed the cleaner shots, and said he’d love to do a rematch, which Crolla said he’d have “no problem” eventually doing on Burns’ turf in Glasgow.