Tuesday 23 December 2014 23:55, UK
Anthony Crolla says he was left “heartbroken” after a confrontation with burglars last week forced him to pull out of his upcoming shot at a world title.
The 28-year-old fractured his skull and broke an ankle after chasing two fleeing burglars from his neighbour’s back garden last week.
As a result of this altercation, his January fight with Cuba’s Richar Abril has been cancelled but Crolla vowed: “I’ll come back stronger.”
He said: “I was heartbroken, I was really upset. It was something I’d worked so long for. It was like my dream had been taken away from me.
“I’m feeling a lot better now since I’ve got out of hospital. I am getting better day by day but obviously I’m still getting bits of pain.
I was heartbroken, I was really upset. It was something I’d work so long for. It was like my dream had been taken away from me.
“The first few days were hard but I’m getting better day by day and it won’t be long until I’m getting fit again.”
The boxer, who was speaking to Sky Sports News HQ on Tuesday, had a nasty scar visible on his forehead, and explained he didn’t understand the severity of the incident until he had fully recovered in hospital.
“It puts things into perspective,” he said. “When it first happened I was sat here waiting for the ambulance like an idiot saying, ‘I’ll be alright, I’ll just have to put sparring back a week or two and I’ll swim instead of running’.
“It wasn’t until a few hours later that I realised how lucky I had been. Considering the seriousness of the incident, I was very lucky and I’m home now with my family, partner and my little boy."
His trainer Joe Gallagher said the boxer was "lucky to be alive" following the attack, which saw Crolla being hit over the head with a concrete slab after confronting the two men.
Despite the severity of the attack, Crolla says he can remember most of what happened, and the incident has given him a new perspective on life as a boxer.
"I can remember everything from the incident," he said. "I can remember it really clearly. I wasn't knocked out so I can remember everything.
"It was the next day when I had the reaction and I didn't know what had gone on so I sort of woke up the next day thinking 'what has happened'.
“Some things are more important than boxing and I never really thought that until the past week.”
