Paul Smith vs. Tony Dodson II & Gavin Rees vs. Anthony Crolla RBR

Round 10

Crolla is bouncing on his toes, pecking at Rees with low jabs. Double jab from Crolla scores on the brow, but nothing following up. Very light jabs by Crolla on the outside, holding back to save his strength. Rees circles to his left, a bit wobbly, having lost a lot of blood. Hook to the body by Rees. Down goes Rees, slip. Flush jab by Crolla. They go tooth and nail in the last minute, exciting but messy. Rees whips in overhand rights. Rees is sternly warned for rabbit punches, next time it will cost him a point.

10-9 Crolla

98-92 Crolla

 

Don't forget, Anthony Crolla vs. Erik Morales was signed and ready to go at one point. :yep (I can't remember why, but it obviously fell through and Morales wound up facing Pablo Cesar Cano that night instead...)

So this won't be the first time Crolla is top billed with a big name dance partner. :hey

 

Round 11

Crolla is moving in, scrubbing the body and backing out. Rees is watching and waiting, missing jabs coming forward, jogging away to regroup and exhaling laboriously. Crolla is popping jabs in the face and sneaking in body shots where he can. Rees is cowering against the middle rope, setting traps with spring-up left hooks and barely missing as Crolla pulls back. Big left hook by Rees leaping up, blocked. Crolla dances around pushing the jab and then leans in, shouldering into Rees to grind him to a halt before rocketing backward.

10-9 Crolla

108-101 Crolla

 

Remember how bad Morales looked against Morales in the first half? (forget the outcome...he was getting badly embarrassed and really looking his age)


Crolla may have lost a great opportunity to put a very flattering name on his resume there...