All you need to know ahead of Paddy Donovan's historic Croke Park bout
LIMERICK’S Paddy Donovan is preparing for the biggest fight of his career when he faces Tyrone McKenna tomorrow night in a sold-out Croke Park.
The pair will meet in the capital on Irish boxing icon Katie Taylor’s farewell fight card, ‘Once Upon a Time,’ in Dublin.
Donovan earned a place on the card following an impressive display in an IBF Title Eliminator bout with Karen Chukhadzhian in May.
The Treaty native won via majority decision in Germany three months ago, a victory that now sees ‘The Real Deal’ take part in the biggest boxing event Ireland has seen to date.
The main card gets underway at 7pm Irish time.
Exact ring walks depend on prior undercard bout lengths, but the main event ring walks are expected around 10.10pm, meaning Donovan and McKenna's co-main event bout will take place shortly before that in the chief support slot.
Speaking to the Limerick Leader, Donovan is under no illusions as to how significant of an occasion Saturday night will be, stating that it is a ‘great privilege’ to be taking part.
“This is history and it's great to be a part of it. It's great to be from Limerick and having a Munster fighter on this card. Few have been selected to participate in this event and I'm so, so happy that I have been chosen as one of these fighters.
"It's a great privilege and it's a proud moment, not just for me but for everyone involved who have backed me down through the years. Andy Lee, my parents and everyone involved. It's a nice little token and we're going to enjoy this one. We have a good challenge and we're looking forward to it.
“When this show came about, knowing that Katie Taylor signed with Matchroom Boxing and with me signing for Matchroom, I think we're the only two fighters on the land who are signed with them. It was only fair that I would have been participating in this show.”
On his Croke Park opponent, Donovan is wary of the McKenna threat, stating that he’s preparing for the best version of the Belfast native.
“Tyrone is a great fighter. He has great attributes. He's a southpaw and a good puncher. He has height, he has range and he has experience so he bring a lot to the table. We know he might not be the fighter that he once was but we have to wait and see what Tyrone shows up.
"We know that he in having a very good camp in America and that he's taking things very seriously which is a great thing for him because I'm also doing the same thing in preparing for the best version of Tyrone and I'm sure he's doing likewise. I'm just ready to get in there and do the business.”
Katie Taylor’s farewell bout can be watched on DAZN and free-to-air on RTÉ.