‘No doubt’ Burnett – Haye hybrid Croker will ‘be in big fights next year’

FOR the first time in six months Lewis Crocker [14(8)-0] will be back in the ring on Saturday, for his 15th pro fight.

Of course, that milestone would have been reached in August and it would also have been at the SSE Arena, but for an unfortunately timed injury.

“It was my last spar, the last round and I picked up a rib injury. It was painful and whatever but  I wasn’t even thinking about not fighting but it just got worse and worse,” he explains when speaking to Conlan Boxing’s Youtube channel.

“When I went to a doctor he said I had a fractured rib. Even the healing time took ages, it was much longer than expected, couldn’t really do much for a few weeks. There’s not much that you can do with a rib injury. I was raging because it was such a big bill and I had a good camp in Marbella, first camp with (Adam) Booth. I was gutted, but I got the ball rolling again and I’m back out on the 10th.”

As it turns out this weekend’s fight will be ‘The Croc’s’ first since teaming up with Adam Booth and he says that working with the renowned English coach has improved him. “It’s brilliant, all the lads there, they’re all quality fighters so just being around them is brilliant. Adam is one of the best coaches in the world so I’m obviously learning off of him every day. It’s class. I always knew I’d have to leave home eventually for sparring and everything else. It’s like a new lease of life for me over here, I’m learning every day, I’m going into the gym and absorbing everything, all the information Adam is giving me and all the things we’re working on. I’m looking forward to getting this fight over and push on for bigger fights next year, obviously with more camps behind me and to seeing my full potential,” Crocker told Conlan Boxing’s YouTube channel. 

Booth previously described Crocker as being like a mix of Ryan Burnett and David Haye, something that he took as high praise. “That’s amazing. To hear that from him makes me happy, he trained both of them, Burnett unreal, David Haye, a big puncher, unreal as well. To hear that from him is big.”

On Saturday night he says he will be looking for a knockout, while he is hoping for a big 2023. “The welterweight division is stacked worldwide so no doubt I’ll be in big fights next year.”