Derry Matthews, Terry Flanagan, Kevin Mitchell, Jorge Linares, and even Luke Campbell have all been name dropped as potential first defences for the newly crowned WBA lightweight World champion Anthony Crolla.

However, Dublin World title hopeful Stephen Ormond hasn’t been mentioned among the long list of potential Crolla foes in the days after his heart-warming victory over Darleys Perez on Saturday night.

Ormond had expressed a desire to fight Crolla if the Manchester fighter beat Perez at the second time of asking, and welcomed rumours a possible World title challenge on the undercard of Frampton v Quigg in Manchester on February 27th was on the cards.

Crolla v Ormond talk has quietened over recent weeks and indeed an all-Manchester bout with WBO World champion Terry Flanagan has been mentioned more than most.

“Listen, me and Terry have got a lot of respect for each other and I’ve got massive respect for his team. If politics can be put aside then it’s a great night for Manchester.

“I wouldn’t have a problem with it and I’m sure he wouldn’t, but it’s down to the man with a plan, Eddie Hearn. Whoever he tells me to fight I’ll fight – honestly,” Crolla said after his uplifting win.

Making a clash with Flanagan may prove difficult considering the WBO title holder is with Frank Warren a similar scenario exists in terms of MGM’s Derry Matthews. Kevin Mitchell, Crolla’s stable mate, is an option and there is talk of Luke Campbell, but some would argue its too soon for the man who pipped John Joe Nevin to Olympic Gold in London 2012.

If, as rumoured, Al Haymon has some undercard say on February 27th, there still is a chance ‘The Rock’ might get a shot, but it remains to be seen if Eddie Hearn will risk possible big all-English clashes further down the line by allowing the Dubliner fight the Manc.