WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares (42-3, 27 KOs) retained his title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Anthony Crolla (31-6-3, 13 KOs) in their rematch on Saturday night at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.
Linares was superb as he cruised through much of the fight with an impressive display of boxing skill and power. A precisely timed uppercut floored Crolla in the seventh. Moments later Linares nearly finished him with a flurry against the ropes. Crolla, however, would not go quietly. The Manchester native, perhaps spurned by his home crowd, bravely grew more aggressive in the second half of the fight. But Linares was simply too sharp, too fast and too comfortable for Crolla to overcome, winning 118-109 across the board.
