By Terence Dooley

As confirmed by BoxingScene last Friday, Anthony Crolla is set to move up in weight to fight John Watson for the British lightweight title left vacant by Gavin Rees's nose injury.  Crolla has campaigned at super-featherweight yet he believes that a boxer should grab a title opportunity with both hands and is comfortable about the move to 135lbs.  Crolla takes on Watson at the Olympia, Liverpool on February 12, John will be buoyed by his home town support, Crolla is hoping to silence the crowd by taking the title home with him.

“It’s strange.  I’ve had to fight just about everyone at super-featherweight and still not got a title shot and now this one has come out of the blue.  The one thing people have noticed about me is my extra power in recent fights but I am confident I can step up a weight and still keep it.  I was an ABA lightweight champion and I’m used to sparring with John Murray, who is the best lightweight in Europe.  I didn’t think twice about taking it," enthused the 19-2 (7) fighter when speaking to the Manchester Evening News.

Watson fought on even terms with Rees for large periods of last year's FOTY candidate only to fall at 2:13 of the eleventh session.  A lot rides on how the 13-1 (5) boxer reacted to the defeat, it could have improved his skills and focussed his desire, there is also the possibility that the defeat took a lot of wind from his sails.  It makes for an intriguing British title fight.

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