THE fact Anthony Crolla has been given a second crack at the WBA lightweight title highlights to me one of boxing’s unique strong points – the re-match.

Most sportsmen and women who suffer the kind of miscarriage of justice that befell Crolla in his original world title fight with Columbia’s Darleys Perez never get the opportunity to right their wrongs.

The Mancunian boxer’s fight finished with the kind of scandalous judging decision that is all too common in boxing, but at least if he can win the re-match he won't now be left wondering what might have been.

In most other sports, all of the hard work and training our heroes put in to achieving what they feel in their bones is their destiny has to come together in one fleeting moment in time.

That’s why sport makes such good telly – it is real life drama.

Sportsmen and women don’t generally get a second chance, either they achieve on the day or go home second best.

Losing is hard to take at the best of times, but that knot in the pit of your stomach tightens when you feel you have been hard done by.

Any sports fan who has invested their time and energy into following a favourite team or sportsman and woman has shared that pain, to a certain degree.

Generally, though, our sporting heroes will only have themselves to blame.

Sure, we all try to pinpoint a refereeing decision or bad behaviour by an opponent but nine times out of 10 defeat is because the victors performed better.

What we all remember most, however, are those moments when foul play was clearly involved.

Mexico 86 is not remembered by England fans for the umpteen missed tackles that preceded Maradona’s first goal of the quarter-final, but for the “hand of God” that claimed the second.

The hand Thierry Henry had in the Republic of Ireland’s defeat to France in their play-off to go to the 2010 World Cup will not be forgotten by many Irish fans in a hurry.

But so often, those who are robbed of sporting glory are instantly forgotten.

Who remembers the names of the seven men who finished runners-up to Lance Armstrong when he doped his way to the yellow jersey?

They have been handed the Tour de France title after the fact, but I am pretty sure that will be cold comfort to them.

American sprinter Calvin Smith was eventually handed a bronze medal after finishing fourth behind champion steroid abuser Ben Johnson in the 100m final at the Seoul Olympics, but never had the opportunity to step foot on the podium.

Then there was the unfortunate incident when Damon Hill was rammed off the road by Michael Schumacher in Australia in what looked like a clinical act by the German to pip him to the Formula One title.

These are all moments in time that those involved can never get back.

Instant action replays are helping to clean up some sports, such as tennis and cricket, but in many ways I think that’s a bad thing – taking away the controversy dilutes the drama.

I say keep the miscarriages of justice but introduce re-matches across the board.

Maybe Eddie Hearn could add Shilton v Maradona to the Crolla v Perez undercard?