Boxing Preview: Scott Quigg, Anthony Crolla Headline Manchester this Saturday (July 18)

Eddie Hearn brings his Matchroom Boxing promotion to the Manchester Arena July 18th with a card headlined by WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Scott Quigg’s title defense against Kiko Martinez of Spain. Quigg is a strong (-500) favorite over Martinez, who is coming back at (+400). The over/under is at 9 ½ for this twelve round bout, with the over paying (-245) and the under returning (+205). Right now, England is home to two of the recognized Super Bantamweight world champions, as countryman and rival Carl Frampton holds the IBF version of the belt. A clash between the two seems inevitable, but Quigg will have to get by Martinez first. Frampton (20-0) is also scheduled to fight on Saturday night on the “Premier Boxing Champions” broadcast from Texas, as he defends his belt against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr (25-1-2). Quigg and Frampton have been eying each other for years, and for Quigg, the choosing of Martinez as an opponent is a deliberate move to measure himself against Frampton. Frampton has fought Martinez twice, stopping him in the 9th round back in February of 2013 for the European title and then beating him over twelve rounds back in September of 2014 to take Martinez’ IBF World title. Martinez is a former world champion who is battle tested and more importantly, has already experienced fighting in England. Quigg, who is (30-0-2) overall is looking to make his second title defense and set-up a showdown with Frampton for big money by the end of the year. In Lightweight action over twelve rounds, popular Anthony Crolla (29-4-2) goes for his first world title when he faces Colombia’s Darleys Perez (32-1). Perez is the favorite at (-170) over Crolla, who is returning at (+150). Perez captured an interim version of the title, and another piece of the title is in the hands of Brit Derry Matthews, a fighter Crolla has a history against, having gone (0-1-1) in two prior meetings. Crolla is facing a stiff test, as the veteran Perez is a well-traveled veteran whose only loss came is in his first bid for a world title against Yuriorkis Gamboa. In June of 2014 he captured the interim Lightweight title for the WBA and he has gone on two make two defenses of that belt. Obviously promoter Hearn is hoping Crolla bre4aks through as he would get the Crolla vs Matthews 3 bout with a united WBA World title on the line. The live event has twelve fights, and several of the matches booked may get attention at the sport books later on in the week. The card features several regional belts on the line in twelve round bouts as well. At Welterweight the Commonwealth and British titles are in play between undefeated Glenn Foot (15-0) and Sam Eggington (15-2), and at Super Lightweight, undefeated Chris Jenkins (16-0) faces Tyrone Nurse (31-2) for the vacant British title. Also on the card is former interim WBA World titlist Martin Murray in an eight round bout as he is looking for his second win since going 11 rounds with Gennady Golovkin in February of 2015.

Written by Miguel

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