Paddy Donovan locked and loaded for Lewis Crocker world title fight in Belfast

SIX months after the most disappointing and devastating night of his young life, Paddy ‘The Real Deal’ Donovan (14-0-1, 11 KOs), is ready to take care of unfinished business this Saturday night against arch rival Lewis ‘Croc’ Crocker (21-0, 11 KOs), headlining the Matchroom Boxing card outdoors at Winsor Park in Belfast.

The 26-year-old Donovan was well on top against Crocker in their IBF Welterweight Eliminator fight in March, until he was disqualified by the referee for hitting Crocker just after the end of the eighth-round while throwing a flurry of combinations.

Crocker, having already been knocked down once, headed down to the canvas again when the eighth round ended. Team Donovan immediately appealed, arguing that since it was an unintentional late punch, disqualification was not permitted under the rules.

The International Boxing Federation (IBF) agreed and ordered a rematch of the IBF Welterweight Eliminator. When IBF World Welterweight Champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis decided to relinquish his IBF 147-pound division belt and move up the junior middleweight, the IBF then ruled that Crocker-Donovan 2 would be contested for the vacant IBF World welterweight title.

All of the anguish associated with the original fight has been placed in the past and Irish eyes are all focused on this week’s clash, which will be streamed live on the DAZN.

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.

“I worked hard with Andy Lee (his head trainer and co-manager with New York City-based attorney Keith Sullivan) on specific things for this fight. I’m sharp and my mind is fresh," Paddy Donovan said.

“I’ve achieved so much in boxing at the age of 26, but I haven’t achieved what I want in boxing, to become world champion. I believe that everything I’ve done – 20 years in boxing, the last 6 with Andy – is about getting that done this Saturday night. All the work has been done and it’s about getting in there and getting that done.

"All the work has been done and it’s about getting in there and getting that done. I’ve been through some changes as a professional boxer inside and outside the ring, but I’ll never change as a person, even after I’m world champion.

“Every fighter in the world wants to stay undefeated, but that’s not the be-all, end-all, especially because of the way it happened. But that will all be in the past when I win this fight. We regrouped and worked hard every day in the gym.

"Now, we’re just looking forward to the fight. It’s been challenging and different (since his last fight); I can’t say it hasn’t been. I wasn’t used to having something like that happen to me, but I’m on a journey and it’s part of my life.

"I executed Andy’s game plan and it’s all worked out better. The winner of our last fight was supposed to travel to the United States to fight a great champion. I really thought the rematch would happen, but now it’s for the world title.

"I remember Keith telling me we won the appeal, and we had the rematch, then a few weeks later, Andy buzzed me to say the rematch was for the world title and back in Belfast. I can’t think of anything better than that for me. It’s part of God’s plan.”

Crocker-Donovan 2 has been billed as the first All-Irish world title fight.

Donovan is honored and proud to be part of history, and he fully intends to take care of his unfinished business.

“It is my time to become one of the best fighters in the world,” he claimed. “When there was talk about me fighting Crocker the first time, he was a 70-30 favorite, but seeing my performance has changed that perspective.

"I know what it takes to beat him and I’m going to do it this Saturday night. Everything has come together. This is the best I’ve ever been, no excuses. I’ve had great sparring with David Avanesyan (31-5-1, 19 KOs, former WBA Welterweight World Champion in 2017).

“This is history, and we are changing Irish boxing. Ireland produces some of the best amateur fighters on the planet and to be world champion as a professional boxer is very special in Ireland. I know this is my time. I believe I can beat any welterweight in the world and that’s not bragging.

"There will be bigger and bigger fights when I am world champion. I want to fight the best welterweights in the world -- Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Conor Benn, Rolando Romero, Brian Norman, Jr., -- and unify titles. And they’ll have to come to Ireland to fight me!”

“In boxing,” Lee noted, “nothing is given. It has to be earned. So, I feel like with this training camp, Paddy is earning the right to step in there and become a world champion.”

Sullivan added, “We’re excited to be back in the great fight city of Belfast. At the last press conference for their first fight, Team Crocker laughed off Paddy’s prediction and confidence. They’re not laughing anymore, and Paddy is poised to repeat another spectacular performance on Saturday night.”

The Donovan Clan will have another reason to celebrate: Paddy’s cousin Jim Donovan, will make his professional debut this Saturday in Belfast, facing middleweight Lukasz Barabasz in a 4-round bout. He is trained by Lee and co-managed by Lee and Sullivan.