Irish welterweight stars Paddy Donovan and Lewis Crocker came head-to-head in Belfast today to formally announce their September 13 rematch.
The two meet for the vacant IBF title at Windsor Park Stadium.
Donovan was well ahead in March when they met in the SSE Arena, but – having already been deducted two points – he was disqualified for flattening Crocker, who had been down earlier in the eighth, with a shot after the bell to end the round.
In front of a lively, pro-Crocker crowd at Monday’s press conference ahead of the first all-Ireland world title fight, Donovan said: “I’m looking forward to this fight. It couldn’t have panned out any better for me after the controversy in the last fight.”
Donovan had been distraught after the ruling to end fight one, which marked the first loss of his 15-fight career, and he now has it all to do again.
“I can’t wait to get in there and put on a show once again,” said Donovan, 26.
During the press conference, chants of “cheat, cheat, cheat” were hurled at the Limerick man, but he brushed them off.
“It’s in the past, we move forward,” he added. “I’m ready to seize this opportunity and do a number on Lewis.”
There was a moment, as Eddie Hearn questioned the fighters, when Donovan was asked whether he felt the 28-year-old Crocker was knocked out or took a dive to finish the first fight. Donovan alleged Crocker dived.
“I’m ready to put on a demolition after the last fight,” he continued. “I think I can get the knockout this time in better fashion... I’m going to become the IBF world champion in Belfast. I’ve beat him once; I can do it again. I’m going to take that belt back to Limerick, we’re going to defend it against the best fighters in the world. Irish boxing has a new superstar, Paddy 'Real Deal' Donovan.”
Crocker, who is 21-0 (11 KOs), talked about how much the occasion, of boxing in front of tens of thousands of his Belfast fans, means to him.
“It doesn’t get any bigger,” he said. “Considering the last fight, I agreed with the decision but I also agreed there should be a rematch. Nobody wanted the fight to end like that, including myself. And I know I’m a lot better fighter and the next day I rung and said ‘Let’s get that rematch sorted'.”
Now it is bigger. It has moved from the Odyssey Arena to the stadium.
“I’ve dreamed about it as a kid – it’s everything I ever wanted,” said Crocker, who added: “I have to be better. Paddy’s a great fighter, he showed it in the last fight and I have to put on the performance of my life to win… I’m a massive underdog in this fight, no one’s expecting me to win. The first fight was 50-50… I’d be no type of man if I didn’t fight you again. There was no other fight to make, it had to be you.”
With victory, Crocker will be able to deliver the kind of nights Carl Frampton brought to Belfast.
“It’s life-changing,” he added. “I would love to be the man in Belfast and keep bringing big nights back to Belfast.”
Both coaches were confident. Andy Lee, with Donovan, said: “If [Crocker] wants to be more ambitious and aggressive, he will leave holes defensively. I believe Paddy is the better fighter and he has the answer [to whatever Crocker does].”
Billy Nelson, Crocker’s trainer, said “there was an issue, but that will remain personal” of the first fight, and maintained that Donovan was “rightly disqualified".
“We’re both really looking forward to redeeming ourselves,” said Nelson. “I think Andy and Paddy both know that wasn’t Lewis Crocker in the ring last night.”
Nelson said Donovan’s use of the head and elbow more than merited the disqualification as well as “two punches after the bell".
“On September 13, [you’ve got] two Irish guys fighting for a world title," he added. "Unbelievable occasion it’s going to be. We know what we’ve got to do. We just never performed the first time.”
