AFTER successfully defending his European title, Lewis Crocker will be hoping to earn a crack at reigning British welterweight champion Chris Jenkins by the end of the year.
The Sandy Row banger moved to 13-0 after a gripping showdown with Deniz Ilbay in Bolton on Friday night, dropping the durable German towards the end of the third round before going on to claim a unanimous decision win.
It was a step up in class for Crocker, against an opponent who took former world title challenger Egidijus Kavaliauskas the distance in 2016.
Despite being linked with fights against the likes of Conor Benn, David Avanesyan and Florian Marku, the 24-year-old looks most likely to face a British title final eliminator against Sheffield’s Anthony Tomlinson next.
And MTK Global vice-president Jamie Conlan is hopeful that bout could take place in Belfast.
“We have a British title final eliminator with Anthony Tomlinson ordered by the BBBOC [British Boxing Board of Control], that most likely will be Lewis’s next fight.
“We have two dates booked in the Ulster Hall for after the summer and hope to have Lewis headlining again in Belfast when crowds are back.
“He has truly capitalised on the lack of competing sports and shows during the current times as he’s raised his profile tenfold with two high quality performances, making him must-see when crowds return.”
Crocker showed what he was made of throughout, trading blows with Ilbay, and had to recover quickly after being caught with a right hook in the fourth.
“I felt it,” he said afterwards.
“It wasn’t like I was completely out of it, I felt the shot and I knew what to do in that moment. I’m glad I had that because you have to know how to react. I can go into my next fight now knowing ‘alright, if I get hit, I’ve been here before’.”
Having regained control, Crocker rocked his opponent several times in the remaining rounds, but Ilbay proved his toughness by lasting the 10-round distance.
“I knew I was in for a tough night,” said Crocker.
“He had the hardest head I’ve ever felt in my life. I was hitting him with some big shots and he kept grinning and coming forward.
“I love to be in those good fights, more than anything it’s a learning experience. It’s a great fight to have on my record, but that’s only a 50 per cent performance of where I can be and what I can do.”
