By Terence Dooley

The MEN have reported that Anthony Crolla’s British lightweight title defence against Gavin Rees has been scrapped due to Rees’s nose injury flaring up ahead of the proposed April 16th fight.  Crolla-Rees was due to land on the undercard of Amir Khan versus Paul McCloskey only to be put on ice until Rees, who is next in line for the title, has recovered from this setback.

Crolla is now looking for a new opponent and will still play a part on the night.  “We are gutted, Anthony was really looking forward to fighting a former world champion and there was a massive buzz around Manchester about it,” revealed Joe Gallagher, Crolla’s trainer, when speaking to James Robson of the Manchester Evening News.

Please send news and views to neckodeemus@hotmail.co.uk