Three rounds gone in the Anthony Crolla v Edson Ramirez lightweight contest. It has been a close opening three rounds, in this 10-rounder.

It is seen as a chance for Crolla to stay sharp before hopefully fighting for a world title as he aims to become a two-time champion.

However, there is a bit of blood around Crolla's right eye, coming from a clash of heads so that is a cause of concern for the Englishman.

Luke Reddy
BBC Sport boxing reporter at the Principality Stadium

Image source, .

It’s a sporting patch is this.

In the shadow of Cardiff Castle we see Geraint Thomas honoured with a gold postbox after his London 2012 track cycling exploits.

You turn a corner and there is the stadium another London 2012 champion is starting to call home.

Anthony Joshua has kicked on more than arguably any British athlete since that glorious summer. He should pocket around £15m tonight.

At £10 a pop, he could buy himself a few of these with his bounty.

Image source, .

Frank Bruno knows all about big heavyweight nights. Big Frank, who won the WBC heavyweight title in 1995, is among those at the Principality Stadium.

Image source, Lawrence Lustig

Earlier this afternoon, Anthony Crolla tweeted thanking the fans for supporting him.

A win tonight against tricky Mexican Edson Ramirez could bring the Manchester man in line for another shot at a world title.

Image source, Anthony Crolla

The Brit certainly has the experience, compared to his Mexican opponent, who will be fighting outside his home country for the first time in his career tonight.

Image source, Getty Images

This boxing journey has certainly been a rollercoaster ride for Anthony Crolla.

A loss to Derry Matthews in April 2012 with the British lightweight title on the line slowed his progress but he fought back to get himself a world title shot.

However, his career, and his life, so nearly ended when he confronted two burglars who were robbing from his neighbour in December 2014. He chased the burglars and one of them hit Crolla with a concrete slab, fracturing his skull and breaking his ankle in two places.

But again he fought back, drawing a world title shot before getting his hands on the WBA world lightweight title with a win over Colombian Darleys Perez in November 2015.

Crolla lost his belt to Venezuela's Jorge Linares in 2016 and then lost the rematch six months later before beating ex world champion Ricky Burns last time out in October to keep his hopes of becoming a two-time world champion alive.

Image source, Getty Images

We will talk a lot, lot more about Anthony Joshua, but let's look at Anthony Crolla for a bit.

As always, we want your thoughts and observations on all the action.

In the build-up to the main event, we also want you to tell us just who is your favourite British boxer of all time and a reason why.

Tweets us your thoughts via #bbcboxing., external

Image source, Getty Images

For the third successive fight, Anthony Joshua is headlining a show at a huge stadium.

About 90,000 people watched his win over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in April 2017, before the show moved on to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff where Joshua overcame a dogged Carlos Takam in October.

And we are back in Cardiff again tonight with more than 78,000 in attendance and television coverage shown in more than 200 countries/territories around the world.

These are certainly golden times for British boxing.

Image source, Lawrence Lustig

Tonight's schedule is a tasty menu for boxing fans.

• Anthony Crolla vs Edson Ramirez (10 x 3 mins lightweight contest)
• Ryan Burnett vs Yonfrez Parejo (12 x 3 mins WBA Super World Bantamweight Championship)
• Alexander Povetkin vs David Price (12 x 3 mins WBA Inter-Continental & WBO International heavyweight titles)
• Anthony Joshua vs Joshua Parker (12 x 3 mins IBF, WBA Super, WBO & IBO world heavyweight titles)

Next up is the Crolla fight, with Anthony Joshua due on some time around 10.30 BST.

Hello and welcome along to BBC Sport's live text commentary on a huge night of boxing as Anthony Joshua takes on Joseph Parker at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

I'm Michael Emons and I have the pleasure of guiding you through all the night's events. Don't go anywhere.

Great Britain's Anthony Joshua holds the IBO, WBA and IBF versions of the world heavyweight title...

Image source, Getty Images

... New Zealand's Joseph Parker is the WBO champion...

Image source, Getty Images

..and later on tonight one man will hold four belts. A world heavyweight title unification, two unbeaten boxers, all in front of about 78,000 people.

This is going to be a good one.