WBA champion Anthony Crolla has suggested that beating Jorge Linares would see him regarded as the best lightweight in the world.
After successful defences against Darleys Perez and Ismael Barroso, Crolla will attempt to establish himself as the top fighter in the division when he takes on the three-weight world champion in Manchester.
Linares returns to England having previously defeated Kevin Mitchell in London last May, and Crolla feels that getting the better of the Venezuelan would represent his best victory of an up-and-down career.
The 29-year-old told Sky Sports News: "This is the biggest fight out there - the two best lightweights in the world. He's a very good fighter. He's a cool guy and it's not my style anyway, but we don't need any smack talk to build this fight up.
"Anyone who knows boxing, knows how good a fight this is. He's a three-weight world champion, possibly a future hall of famer. You only have to look at his credentials to see just how good he is."
Crolla has won 31 of his 38 fights as a professional while Linares has 40 victories from 43 outings.
