Anthony Crolla is out to cause an upset that would shake the boxing world when he takes on unified lightweight world champion Vasyl Lomachenko tonight.
A two-time Olympic gold medallist, Lomachenko has only fought 13 times as a professional.
But his outstanding in-ring talents have seen him become a three-weight world champion in that time with the Ukrainian widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.
Understandably, Crolla will enter as an overwhelming underdog. After recovering from a fractured skull suffered when he was struck with a concrete slab after confronting two burglars at his home, the Manchester fighter became a world champion in November 2015.
Crolla lost his title to another elite name at lightweight in Jorge Linares in September 2016, losing a rematch the following year.
But three straight victories over Ricky Burns, Edson Ramirez and Daud Yordan have thrust him back into world title contention once again.
The 32-year-old is perhaps the more natural of the two at 135lbs. But Crolla will have to produce the performance of a life time if he is to prise the WBA and WBO titles away from ‘No Mas Chenko’.
Date, UK start time and venue
Crolla is state-side for just the second time in his career with his meeting with Lomachenko taking place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in the early hours of Saturday morning (13 April).
It will be an early start for UK fight fans with ring walks expected at 4:30pm. The undercard programme is set to get underway at 3am.
TV channel and live stream
Lomachenko vs Crolla will be shown live on Sky Sports' Main Event and Action channels and will be available via Now TV with a day pass on offer for £8.99.
Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app.
Betting odds | Provided by Betfair | Subject to change (UK and Ireland only)
Fight odds
- Lomachenko to win: 1/50
- Crolla to win: 20/1
- Draw: 40/1
Method of victory
- Lomachenko points/decision win: 5/1
- Lomachenko KO/TKO: 1/8
- Crolla points/decision win: 66/1
- Crolla KO/TKO: 25/1
Click here to place a bet.
Prediction
Crolla still has heart and determination in abundance but Lomachenko's supreme skill set means he remains largely untouchable.
The Ukrainian to grind Crolla down and secure the win before the eighth round.
Undercard
- Gilberto Ramirez vs Tommy Karpency
- Arnold Barboza Jr vs Mike Alvarado
- Alexander Besputin vs Alfredo Blanco
- Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Cristian Olivas
- Vijender Singh vs Calvin Metcalf
- Guido Vianello vs Lawrence Gabriel
- Chris Zavala vs Sergio Gonzales
- Elvis Rodriguez vs Kevin Luna
