George Crotty has set his sights on the Southern Area super-middleweight title, with the Royal Marine confident his opportunity could come in the first quarter of 2026.
The 30-year-old southpaw (4-0, 1 KO) has impressed early in his professional career, leveraging an extensive amateur pedigree to progress faster than many of his contemporaries. While his previous two bouts were scheduled for six rounds, Crotty recently dropped back to a four-rounder on the undercard of Joseph Parker vs. Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena to remain active.
Facing a less experienced opponent, Crotty was able to handle the challenge with minimal difficulty, winning every round despite his adversary’s aggressive and somewhat reckless style. Crotty had anticipated the opponent’s approach, having been warned by fellow boxer Ioan Croft. “A mate of mine, Ioan Croft, boxed him the other day, and [Croft] said, ‘Watch his head; he’s lethal with it,’” Crotty said. “But my feet are good, so I can defend with my feet and stay out of danger when I need to.”
Following his latest victory, Crotty is already planning his next steps. “I just spoke to my manager, Simon [Legg], and he said we’ll do an eight-rounder next and then go for the Southern Area title,” Crotty explained. “I’d be ready for a 10-rounder next – it doesn’t bother me – but Simon said we’ll do an eight-rounder in January or February and then go for the Southern Area title straight after that, maybe in March or April.”
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Crotty believes that capturing the area title would open the door to an English title shot. “Once you’ve got that, you’re knocking on the door for the English [title]. If everything goes how I want to go, I’ll be English champion this time next year,” he said.
The current Southern Area champion at 168 pounds is James Osborne, who will next compete in GBM Sports’ eight-man tournament on November 8. While Crotty acknowledges Osborne’s skill level, he is prepared to challenge for a vacant belt if necessary. “We’ve done a bit of sparring, me and Ozzy, and it would be a good bout actually. I don’t know how much longer he’ll have it for, so maybe we’ll fight someone else for a vacant title. Whatever happens, I’ll be ready for whoever’s got it,” Crotty said.
