Jorge Linares with boxing belts

Linares decisons Crolla In Terrific Scrap For WBA/WBC Diamond Lightweight Titles

ByBoxing Press

Lightweight Jorge Linares won a twelve round unanimous decision over Anthony Crolla to capture the WBA crown and retain his WBC Diamond title at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

The bout, which took place this past Saturday, headlined a card that was broadcasted live all over the United States on AWE.

“The fight lived up to expectations and was a terrific contest,” said Charles Herring, President of AWE. “This is another in the long line of great fights that have come to the network and we should be announcing some more great fights real soon.”

“We were ecstatic and extremely happy about the response we had for this fight,” said Chris Schickedanz, KlowdTV Managing Director. “We had an overwhelming turnout, and we will continue to show the biggest and brightest fights from all over the globe.”

It was a tough, grueling fight that saw Linares move to an early lead on the strength of his quick combinations and hand-speed.

In round five, Linares was cut over his left eye. In round six, Crolla was starting to take charge of the bout with his work to the body and uppercuts inside, until Linares hurt Crolla badly with a right hand that wobbled the Manchester native on the ropes.

Both guys had their moments down the stretch as Linares at times seemed like he was losing his stamina, only to come back with hard combinations and he was able to eek out rounds.

Linares, of Venezuela, won by scores of 117-111, 115-114 and 115-113 and is now 41-3. Crolla is now 31-5-3.

Jack Arnfield won a twelve round unanimous decision over John Ryder in a middleweight bout. Arnfield won by scores of 117-114, 118-110 and 115-114 and is now 21-2. Ryder is 23-3.

Callum Johnson scored a ninth round stoppage over Wilbeforce Shihepo in a scheduled twelve round light heavyweight bout.

In round five, Shihepo was docked a point for holding. Shihepo kept holding and was deducted another point in round seven. Later in the round, Johnson dropped Shihepo with a body shot. Johnson finished things with a huge right that dropped Shihepo in the ninth round. Shihepo could not beat the count at 2:07.

Johnson is now 16-0 with 11 knockouts. Shihepo of Namibia is 23-9.

Conor Benn remained undefeated by scoring a six round decision over Ross JamesonThe score was 60-55 for Benn, who is now 5-0. Jameson is 1-2.

Hosea Burton scored two knockdowns in the third round and stopped Fernando Castaneda in the same round of their scheduled ten round light heavyweight bout. The stoppage came at 2:18 of round three, for Burton, who is now 18-0 with nine knockouts. Castaneda is 24-11.

Anthony Crolla vs. Jorge Linares was a 12-round fight for the WBA, WBC Diamond and the Ring Magazine Lightweight Championships presented by Matchroom Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Akihiko Honda’s Teiken Boxing Gym.