A few notes from around the boxing world:

• British lightweight Anthony Crolla (29-4-2, 11 KOs) was hospitalized this week with a broken ankle and possible skull fracture after a confrontation with burglars, which has, obviously, caused his shot at world titleholder Richar Abril (19-3-1, 8 KOs) to be canceled. They were due to fight Jan. 23 at the Phones 4u Arena in Crolla’s hometown of Manchester, England. According to British media reports, Crolla was struck on the head by a brick when he confronted the burglars at a neighbor’s home.

• At this week’s annual WBC convention, taking place in Las Vegas, the organization announced an agreement with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association to perform random drug testing on boxers involved in its bouts. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said it would be “different testing from the regular after-the-fight test, which is used only for the fight. The VADA program with the WBC intends to test throughout the year in a random way. There is a universe of fighters who are within the top 15 and champions, who are eligible for this testing.” Dr. Margaret Goodman, the former Nevada chief ringside physician who now runs the VADA, is on board and also addressed the convention on the topic.

• Promoter Lou DiBella has hired Eric Bentley as DiBella Entertainment’s director of boxing operations and matchmaking. Bentley, a native New Yorker, has tremendous experience, including spending the past five years as the director of boxing for the New York State Athletic Commission. He was also a finalist for the executive director position at the Nevada State Athletic Commission earlier this year. “I enjoyed my time at NYSAC and learned a tremendous amount from (executive director) David Berlin, but it was the right time to move on and there's no better place to go than DiBella Entertainment,” Bentley said. “There aren't many more genuine and passionate guys than Lou and he has surrounded himself with a phenomenal team, of which I'm excited to be a part."

Said DiBella: “DiBella Entertainment has strengthened itself greatly with the hiring of Eric Bentley. Eric was previously a quality matchmaker and then a highly respected executive with the New York State Athletic Commission. He will bolster my staff, which is already one of the finest in the boxing promotional business.”

• The final edition of the year of “The Fight Game With Jim Lampley” debuts on Tuesday (HBO, 11 p.m. ET/PT). The episode will include a review of the top stories of the year in boxing, Michelle Beadle will interview trainer Freddie Roach and Lampley will reveal his boxing person of the year.