WATCH: Boxer Paddy Donovan: "The ref took my dreams away tonight"

PADDY Donovan was disqualified at the end of the eighth round of his IBF welterweight final eliminator against Lewis Crocker in Belfast's SSE Arena amid chaotic scenes on Saturday night.

Bout referee Marcus McDonnell disqualified 'The Read Deal' Donovan for a punch that landed after the bell went at the end of the eighth round.

The dramatic conclusion to the bout came just after Donovan had sent Crocker down with a big left hook.

Donovan earlier had points deducted in rounds six and eight for illegal use of the head.

Donovan had been highly impressive in the fight until the dramatic conclusion through a combination of nimble feet and fast hands and was comfortably ahead going into the eighth round.

The bout was the main event of a programme of boxing in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,000.

“The ref took my dreams AWAY tonight”

@PaddyDonovan23 #CrockerDonovan pic.twitter.com/4b1jPllDEC

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 1, 2025

"The crowd is ferocious in here. They say I hit him after the bell, but I thought I hit him on the bell," Donovan told DAZN.

"You can see Lewis was a beaten man and I won the fight fair and square. The ref took my dreams away tonight."

"We're going to appeal the decision and I want an automatic rematch right on the spot."

Former world middleweight champion, Limerick man Andy Lee, is Donovan's head trainer and co-manager.

Paddy Donovan hits Lewis Crocker after the bell and is DISQUALIFIED!!! #CrockerDonovan pic.twitter.com/wUouP4ITYW

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 1, 2025

Southpaw Donovan, who turned pro in 2019, boxed in his amateur days out of Limerick's Our Lady of Lourdes St Saviours Boxing Club. Donovan is a 13-time Irish national amateur champion.

DOWN GOES CROCKER #CrockerDonovan | Live NOW on DAZN pic.twitter.com/umJRt8Bk8L

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 1, 2025