Rees determined to bounce back from defeat

[Mofo2]

Gavin Rees is using his recent defeat to Adrien Broner as motivation ahead of a domestic showdown with Anthony Crolla on June 29. Rees was last seen in action when valiantly failing to seize Broner's WBC lightweight title in Atlantic City on February 16 - the American champion stopping 'The Rock' in the fifth. But 33-year-old Rees, who is a former world champion at light-welterweight, believes the experience of a 'super fight' in the US stands him in good stead ahead of his clash with Manchester's Crolla.

"I was never going to win the fight, I was getting hit by big shots and was falling behind, but I'm a warrior and a fighter and I wanted to go out on my shield. There was no point in being down about it afterwards. It was great to get a taste of the big stage in the States and it's made me hungry to get back to that again. I was confident of winning the fight and the first two rounds went OK but he's a massive puncher for a lightweight. I was very surprised just at how good he was and I really believe he is the next big star in boxing. I would've carried on until I was knocked out cold but I was straight back in the gym on the Thursday after the fight - maybe if I had been totally knocked out I wouldn't have been so eager. But now I'm back headlining a big show against a good contender in Anthony Crolla. I've had some good tweets from the States and I think I earned a lot of respect in the end. I got straight back down to the nitty-gritty afterwards and although I'm not looking past Anthony, I want another world title shot to come from this - and I'm sure that's what he is looking for. That's what makes it a great fight."

On reports he could chase WBO king Ricky Burns of Scotland should he dispose of Crolla, Rees added: "People are linking me to a fight with Ricky Burns because he's a world champion and I am hunting a World title shot, so it's logical. Who wouldn't want to fight a world champion? It'd be another great night with two Brits going at it for a world title. I've had Ricky's trainer Billy Nelson in our corner a few times and I've sparred with Ricky, so I know him well and he's a nice lad, but he's got the belt so he's a natural fight to look for - but so is a fight with Richard Abril or Miguel Vazquez as they have belts too."