Crolla triumphs over adversity to become world champion

Anthony Crolla in action with Darleys Perez​

Anthony Crolla celebrates victory over Darleys Perez with the belt - Action Images

AFP: Britain’s Anthony Crolla became the World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion on Saturday less than a year after suffering a fractured skull from being hit on the head with a concrete slab in a brutal street assault.

Crolla was attacked while chasing a burglar away from his neighbour’s home in Greater Manchester in December 2014.

Having regained fitness, he was denied a world title in July when his first fight with Darleys Perez was declared a draw.

But, in front of his home town crowd at the Manchester Arena, Crolla’s powerful body shot saw the 29-year-old stop his Colombian rival with 30 seconds of the fifth round left in their rematch.

Perez fell to the canvas and failed to beat the count, to the joy of Crolla’s supporters.

“It’s been an absolute roller-coaster the last 12 months and this is the perfect finish,” Crolla told Sky Sports afterwards. “It’s a dream come true.

“I thought it would be a head shot (that won the fight) but I’ll take that body shot any day of the week.

“I remember sinking the left in downstairs and, like most people who land a good body shot, I knew it was over there and then.”