Tuesday 20 September 2016 12:10, UK
Jorge Linares will challenge for Anthony Crolla's WBA lightweight title this weekend, live on Sky Sports. But what do we know about the visitor to Crolla's hometown of Manchester?
This name rings a bell. Have I seen him fight?
Jorge Luis Linares Palencia, to provide his full name, is the big-puncher who ruined Kevin Mitchell's world title dream.
I remember! That was a terrible night for Mitchell….
Yep. Mitchell had twice lost world title fights and it was supposed to be third-time lucky. He put Linares down early, but Mitchell's eye was reduced to a swollen mess. The referee stepped in during the 10th round. The boy Linares can punch.
So Linares is good, then?
He is a three-weight world champion, so he's very good. He has held the WBC featherweight, WBA super-featherweight, and WBC lightweight belts.
Linares' record is 40-3 - interestingly, he has been stopped in all three of his defeats. He first lost in 2009 after 27 wins, then lost back-to-back in 2011 and 2012. But he's rebounded with nine wins in a row.
Venezuela. The same place as the late, great Edwin Valero. But oddly, he uprooted to Japan as a teenager and never went home.
That's a fairly unique move?
He wasn't allowed to box professionally in Venezuela until he was 18, so went to Japan to get paid for his work. Then, I suppose, he must have liked it…
Surely the boxing training in Japan isn't very good…
Linares trained under Sendai Tanaka, who has also worked alongside Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and more recently Roman 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez. So Tanaka knows how to build a champion…
Who has Linares beaten?
Mitchell is definitely the most recognisable name, because so much of Linares' career has been spent in Asia and South/Central America.
He's beaten Jesus Chavez, who also fought Floyd Mayweather. Rocky Juarez is otherwise Linares' most well-known opponent.
Interestingly, Gamaliel Diaz is a little-known foe who has boxed both Linares and Crolla. Diaz was knocked out by Linares nine years ago but held Crolla to a draw in Manchester in 2014. Mexico's Diaz is still going strong aged 35 despite a 39-14-3 record.
How did Linares lose his latest world title?
Not in the ring, unfortunately. He was stripped of the WBC lightweight title in February because a fractured hand meant he was unable to defend the belt against mandatory challenger Dejan Zlaticanin.
While Linares healed up, Zlaticanin won the vacant belt. The WBC always said Linares could immediately challenge for his old title when he was fit, but he has chosen to fight Crolla instead.
El Niño de Oro, which is translated as The Golden Boy…
… Any link to Oscar De La Hoya?
Linares is now co-promoted by De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, but that happened after he was given his nickname.
Will Linares be troubled by the Manchester crowd?
Very doubtful. For starters, he stopped Mitchell at London's O2 Arena last year. Plus, he could barely have boxed in more countries if he tried…
Japan, Venezuela, Panama, Argentina, South Korea, the United States, Mexico and England. It's probably wise if Crolla doesn't rely on hometown advantage.
Finally, what's Linares got to say for himself?
"I love fighting in my opponent's back yard with all the noise that comes with it from their fans," he said. "The supporters cannot get in the ring with their fighter, it's just me and him."
Watch Crolla v Linares, Conor Benn, John Ryder v Jack Arnfield, Callum Johnson v Willbeforce Shihepo and Hosea Burton v Fernando Castaneda live on Sky Sports 2 from 7.30pm this Saturday
