Crolla admits his brutal Lomachenko beating has him considering retirement
Manchester's former WBA champ was dismantled by Ukraine’s double Olympic winner in four rounds
ANTHONY CROLLA admitted vicious Vasyl Lomachenko battered him to the brink of retirement on Friday night.
The Manchester hero and former WBA champ was dismantled by Ukraine’s double Olympic winner and unified lightweight king in Los Angeles.
Crolla, 32, absorbed around 25 unanswered shots at the end of round three, before a sickening right hook left him face down in a heap in the fourth.
And the one-sided defeat left the brave Brit considering his future, he said: “I'm going to have some time to think about it.
“I wouldn't really want to go out like that but I've banged on about staying in boxing too long.
"I love this sport, it's a big part of my life but I've not got much left now, so we'll see whether we've got one more later in the year.
"I'll speak with the team, maybe back in Manchester, I don't know. I had a fantastic camp and I felt brilliant, so it's very disappointing.
"I don't want to go out like that but the end is near."
Lomachenko was sensationally spiteful and targeted WBC champ Mikey Garcia for a unification bout next but the American boxed up at welterweight last month and could vacate.
That would leave Hull ace and 2012 Olympic winner Luke Campbell in with a chance at the green and gold belt.
And WBA and WBO boss Loma, who slammed Crolla’s trainer Joe Gallagher for not pulling him out after a savage third round, would be up for the showdown in the UK.
The 31-year-old pound-for-pound best said: “I think it was a very big mistake by Crolla corner because they saw what happened in the third round, I think they should’ve thrown a towel in.
“I wish big health for Anthony Crolla and all the best.
“Of course I want Mikey Garcia but if Mikey Garcia can’t cut weight, maybe it would be Luke Campbell, maybe we can organise the fight in the UK. I come to UK and unify the titles.”
Crolla utterly deserved his shot at the brilliant southpaw and can hold his head high for going out on his shield.
A right hook to the temple was the shot that rendered him utterly senseless and the 44-fight veteran revealed it was the hardest he has ever been hit.
Crolla said: “I'm a bit gutted. I lost to a special fighter, I just wanted to give a better account of myself, but he hit me with a great shot.
"It's the first time I've been hit like that.
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“As I went down I knew, as frustrating as it was, I wasn't going to beat the 10 count, my senses went everywhere.
"I'm just gutted, I got in the best shape of my life and for it to end like that and as early as it did, is very gutting.
"I knew how his balance was and his feet, he's very hard to hit, I thought he was very good at angles, he's a fantastic fighter.”
