Anthony Crolla not worried about critics for potential Lomachenko fight

Anthony Crolla is the mandatory challenger for Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Crolla knows he’s the massive underdog in that potential matchup.

But Crolla (34-6-3, 13 KO) is a fighter, and as such, he doesn’t care about what anyone else might say when it comes to him facing the pound-for-pound top dog.

“People have their opinions on social media and stuff like that. It doesn’t bother me whatsoever, but everyone is entitled to their opinion. With those people who have got this opinion how I would get smashed in a round or two, for the sake of them, do I say ‘You know what, I’ll give up my mandatory and I’ll just hope that he vacates.’ What type of fighter would I be? What kind of example would I be leading to the amateur kids, if I said I didn’t want to fight him? I would love the fight. I would be going in with the attitude that I want to shock the world.”

In my view, and it’s just my view, of course, good for Crolla. He’s absolutely right. He fought for a mandatory position, beat a solid fighter in Daud Yordan for that position, and he’s a fighter’s fighter, the way I look at it.

If Lomachenko does beat Jose Pedraza on Dec. 8 — which is what’s expected — then Crolla could be next. And he’s earned his shot as much as anyone else has, really. Yes, I think Lomachenko would win and win handily. But they fight the fights for a reason, and it’s hardly the worst world title matchup anyone’s come up with recently.