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The WBA has confirmed that Anthony Crolla is next in line for a shot at their lightweight title, which will be contested in a unification fight on Dec. 8 in New York between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Pedraza.
Crolla (34-6-3, 13 KO) is coming off of three straight wins over Ricky Burns, Edson Ramirez, and Daud Yordan.
Received the letter overnight from the @wbaboxingofficial - the winner of @VasylLomachenko v Pedraza on Dec 8 must fight @ant_crolla86 next! @DAZN_USA @SkySportsBoxing pic.twitter.com/hK6LL4uyGb
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) November 30, 2018
Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KO) is the big favorite against Pedraza (25-1, 12 KO), and would be a huge favorite against Crolla, a battler and a contender and a very likable guy, but hardly considered an elite fighter. Even if Pedraza won, and considering he’d have beaten Lomachenko to do it, he would be the heavy favorite against Crolla.
But Crolla has done all that was asked of him and it’s only right that he get the shot, no matter what anyone thinks of his chances. There are worse world title fights all the time, which is, I guess, a backhanded way of saying I don’t mind Crolla getting in there against the Loma-Pedraza winner.