Belfast’s ‘Croc’ meets Limerick’s ‘Real Deal’ in a literal 50-50 on 1 March. The winner will fight for the world title.
Gavan Casey A FORTNIGHT OUT from their all-Irish world-title eliminator, Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan continue to match each other at every turn.
Both boxers are at pains to point out that they have never been more prepared to beat the other. They’re probably both right.The rare beauty to Crocker versus Donovan, aside from it being the most significant Irish boxing derby since God knows when, is that whenever one of the boxers explains why they’re going to win, you’re inclined to believe them.
Donovan's trainer, former middleweight world champion Andy Lee. Matchroom Boxing / Mark Robinson/INPHO Matchroom Boxing / Mark Robinson/INPHO / Mark Robinson/INPHO — Matchroom Boxing March 28, 2024 Billy Nelson, who fine-tunes Crocker’s extensive talents in Scotland, insisted that Lee was getting carried away.
— Matchroom Boxing January 27, 2024 Promoter Hearn was enraptured at the top table even before the boxers had their turn, blown away by the hundreds of fans who had turned up for a Wednesday-lunchtime presser. The tribalism behind the barrier fence reminded him of the Belfast presser for Carl Frampton’s 2016 grudge match with Scott Quigg.
“And I think Lewis got hit a lot against Conah Walker but I don’t think he really respected his power. I thought, frankly, he just thought he could just walk him down. I don’t think he thinks he can do that with Paddy — Paddy punches sharper and harder than people think when he’s on. He kind of makes you miss and ‘Bang!’We haven’t a clue, Eddie, truth be told.
And as he prepares to box out of the away corner for the first time in his 14-fight professional career, Donovan has taken to the baddy role in Belfast like a prime Willem Dafoe. 'Croc' hunter Paddy Donovan. Matchroom Boxing / Mark Robinson/INPHO Matchroom Boxing / Mark Robinson/INPHO / Mark Robinson/INPHO
Donovan continued to pull on the thread until Crocker laughed in his face and turned to the heaving crowd, raising his arms and flexing his biceps. The chorus of ‘There’s Only One Lewis Crocker’ drowned out Donovan’s parting words: “That’s it: run away.” That the men of March’s main event are as astute as they are charismatic has added fascinating strands to their mental warfare. Between fights, Crocker traditionally prefers the white light of his PlayStation to the spotlight but he’s a natural-born public speaker when contractually obliged, or on the seldom occasions he answers the phone to a journalist of his own volition.
When those comments are relayed to Donovan, he teases Crocker’s Rangers fandom but in the same breath dismisses the notion that he is trying to sew political division into a sport which has always excelled in keeping that wolf from the gym door. Crocker celebrating his KO win over Jose Felix last year. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Indeed, Crocker and Donovan are possibly good enough that even the loser won’t face a particularly scenic route back to contention: Eddie Hearn’s tentative plan for that unlucky individual is to have them face a top-15 contender and, if successful, re-enter the frame almost immediately. “This is going to be a cracking fight”, says Crocker’s coach Billy Nelson, “but Paddy Donovan will get stopped by Lewis Crocker, 100%.”
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