Anthony Crolla v Jorge Linares a closer look.

Jorge Linares is no easy task..  in 2009, the former featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight champion was an impressive 27/0 before his first taste of defeat from tough Juan Carlos Salgado in Japan, losing his WBA super featherweight title..
4 wins later in 2011 he would face defeat again at the hands of Antonio Demarco in a WBC lightweight challenge..  followed by a further loss to Sergio Thompson in Mexico..   however since the end of 2012, Linares has remained undefeated and on a 9 fight winning streak. Linares picked up the WBC lightweight belt in 2014 by beating Javier Prieto and in 2015 made two successful defences, stopping both Kevin Mitchell and Ivan Cano..  Linares is currently the WBC champion in recess and with 27 knockouts in his 40 victories is an extremely dangerous challenger..

In 2008 in his second year as a pro, Crolla would drop a 8 round points decision to Youssef Al Hamidi in London..   6 months later Anthony would return the favour to Hamidi and remain undefeated until 2009, when at 13/1 he would lose once again in his first scheduled 10 rounder to the unbeaten Gary Sykes in Stoke..
Crolla would see 2009 out by ending the career of Michael Brodie in three rounds in Wigan..  2010 saw Crolla pick up the English title by beating Andy Morris, and a year later grab the vacant British title, knocking out John Watson in Liverpool in 9.
2011 also saw Crolla make his Las Vegas debut, appearing on the Mayweather v Ortiz card at the MGM grand, earning a tough 8 round split decision over Juan Montiel..   Crolla would return home to make a successful defence of his British title against Willie Limond before losing his crown 5 months later to Derry Mathews in Oldham, being stopped in the 6th round of a bout Crolla was winning comfortably..   Anthony's return to the ring later that year would be in the popular Prizefighter tournament where he would lose in the semi finals, once again to Gary Sykes..
In 2013 Anthony would travel to Liverpool for the return bout with Derry Matthews where he was unfortunate to come away with a draw for the vacant commonwealth title..   Three successive victories over Gavin Rees, Steve Foster and John Murray saw Anthony at the top of his game, looking down the barrel of a shot at Darleys Perez WBA title..   Crolla would almost miss out following a devastating head injury after disturbing a neighbourhood burglary only weeks before.. once recovered in July 2015 he would bring the performance of his career against the once beaten Perez in Manchester only to lose out by the slimmest of decisions, again settling for a draw..  4 months later the rematch was ordered and Crolla would justify the result of the first bout by pulling off the impossible, dropping and stopping Perez with a left hook to the body in the 5th, realising his dream as a world champion..   Crolla would make one successful defence in May, knocking out Ismael Barroso in 7 to set up tonight's clash..  Crolla comes into this 31/4/3 (13 Ko's) and a slight favourite..