Sunday 8 October 2017 18:58, UK
Sky Sports expert Johnny Nelson felt that Anthony Crolla's superior pace and accuracy earned a points victory over Ricky Burns, but could understand the need for a rematch.
But the Sky Sports panel admitted a closely fought contest was hard to score, although Crolla appeared to impress the judges with his cleaner punches and relentless work-rate.
I've never scored a fight with so many even rounds in my life. I had it 116-114 to Crolla, but some of the rounds were so even.
"I could see a rematch," Nelson told Sky Sports. "You look at the fight and even though each round was close, somebody had to win, and somebody had to lose.
"I've never scored a fight with so many even rounds in my life. I had it 116-114 to Crolla, but some of the rounds were so even.
"I thought both fighters gave the best they had, but the pace, the accuracy of Crolla, that's what tipped the scales for him when there were close rounds and his punch rate was a little higher for a 34-year-old Ricky Burns."
Fellow Sky Sports expert Matthew Macklin also scored the fight in favour of Crolla, but admitted that Burns could rightfully feel aggrieved.
"I had Crolla 115-113, but I could see 115-113 the other way," said Macklin.
"There was a lot of really close rounds, but I just felt that he came on strong at the right times, whether it was the end of the round to catch the eye, or some rounds that were really close, he just had the more eye-catching flurries.
"I felt that he just edged the fight."
