By Geoff Poundes
At the Sports Centre in Oldham, British lightweight champion Anthony Crolla defends his title against veteran Liverpudlian Derry Matthews Saturday night. 
Crolla spearheads a sparkling group of British lightweights and will see Matthews, 29-6, 15 KO’s as the last stepping stone before he moves into world class. At 29 years of age Matthews is an experienced operator, but has usually come unstuck when he’s mixed in decent company, and was soundly beaten in seven rounds last time out by Italian Emiliano Marsili.
Crolla, 23-2, 9 KO’s, needs a couple more defences to earn the much-sought after Lonsdale Belt outright, and Matthews will only offer token resistance.
A far more competitive fight in the undercard features a clash of British cruiserweight prospects when 23 year old Matty Askin, 13-0, 9 KO’s meets 25 year old Jon Lewis Dickinson, 10-2, 3 KO’s over ten rounds.
Askin has been drawing huge plaudits as he’s settled into his professional career, and will be favourite to turn back Dickinson, who has recovered well from a couple of setbacks in 2009, when he was stopped twice in succession. Both stoppages, however, were the result of freak injuries, and Dickinson could provide stern opposition for the irrepressible Askin. The fight promises to be a barnstormer whatever the outcome.
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