WBO European Welterweight title: Lewis Crocker (12-0) v Deniz Ilbay (22-2) (tonight, Bolton, live on ESPN+ and YouTube)
LEWIS Crocker is rated by many good judges as a potential world champion and the Belfast welterweight will take another step up the ladder towards realising that ambition with victory over German Deniz Ilbay in Bolton tonight.
Box-fighter Crocker, 24 and 12-0, has many of the tools required to carve out a successful career as a professional. Well-schooled from his amateur days, he mixes tight defence with genuine power and beating Ilbay will see him move on to a British title eliminator by the end of July.
His most recent performance – a stoppage win over Louis Greene last August – was the best of his career but experienced Ilbay will be, on paper at least, his toughest test to date.
"Ilbay has been in there with world class opposition,” says Crocker.
“I'm still as hungry as ever and I definitely don't plan on losing my belt. Headlining another show is special and it's all good experience for me and my progression throughout my career. Training has been great and all the boxes have been ticked.
"It's just about going in there and putting on a good performance. The plan is to win this fight, and then push on."
Unbeaten in his native Germany, confident Ilbay has lost just twice – both on the road. He predicts the eye-catching win his career has threatened tonight.
"We looked at a few fights from Crocker and we picked out a few weaknesses,” he said.
“I’m not going to reveal them just yet, I will show them to everyone.
"This is the toughest fight of his career so far, and I'm pretty positive that with a win here my team can make big things happen in 2021.
"There is a huge year ahead, but I have learned in my career to never look further than your upcoming fight, so I'm just focused on Lewis Crocker."
