BELFAST – Promoter Eddie Hearn admits it is unlikely that the winner of Saturday’s fight between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan will wind up challenging Jaron Ennis for the IBF welterweight title.
Ennis fights WBA beltholder Eimantas Stanionis in April, and Crocker-Donovan is an eliminator for the Philadelphian’s championship.
But just because Ennis is headed in another direction, it does not mean there is not plenty on the line for Saturday’s victor at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
“So, when Boots fights Stanionis, the winner will receive a letter to say you have to fight Paddy Donovan or Lewis Crocker, whoever wins,” Hearn explained. “And it’s very likely that Boots will choose not to fight that person because he will move to 154, or he will ask for an exemption to fight another champion, which will probably be granted. But then, after that, there will be no exemptions, and it’s very likely that the winner of this fight will fight for a vacant title. And when you look at the rankings, it’s very likely that it will be a fight that you can bring to Ireland. If it’s Crocker, it’s very likely that he could be fighting for the world title at the Odyssey, the world welterweight championship. That’s a massive title to win. And if it’s Paddy, there’s a good chance we could bring a big fight to the south of Ireland and try something wild down there, and he could be fighting for the world welterweight championship. If you win that belt, you put yourself in position for Haney, Garcia, Teofimo, all of the life-changing fights, so it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens. But, without Crocker, who is going to headline in Northern Ireland right now? You can do good fight nights… Crocker isn’t yet the star to fill the arena alone against a nobody. He’s doing it against Paddy because it’s a great fight and everyone is buying into the north-south whatever, Belfast-Limerick, but if he wins, he’s got a chance to fill it in massive fights.”
It is a fight that has captured the imagination and 8,000 fans will pack the venue on fight night. Donovan-Crocker are not yet established stars, but the chemistry they’ve created and the energy behind the fight is palpable.
“It’s quite unusual, unbeaten, in their absolute prime, that’s very true, and you don’t often see that,” Hearn added. “They’ve both got teams that think their man is unbeatable in this fight. You’ve got Billy Nelson, and some may call him a little bit deluded at times, but he is 100 per cent sold that Lewis Crocker will walk through Paddy Donovan. Andy Lee is the biggest Paddy Donovan fan on the planet, so normally in a fight like this, you’d think they might think, ‘What about another route?’ Or people, especially both coming from Ireland, they don’t tend to take those kind of fights, because there’s a lot on the line with bragging rights. If you lose this fight, you’ve still got a future but not at world level, for now.”
With that in mind, Hearn has clearly been impressed with the condition Donovan looks to be in, but he also raves about Crocker’s heavy hands.
“I think Paddy will be razor sharp. I think he looks in unbelievable shape,” added Hearn. “There’s two Paddys, right? There’s the Paddy that boxed in Belfast when we did the small show, four weeks’ notice, little bit chubby. Still flashy, but then gets a bit tired, and then there’s this Paddy, who has probably trained for the respect of Lewis Crocker, knowing this is a real fight. I think Lewis is a huge puncher.”
Tactically, he said Donovan’s best bet is to be Bivol to Crocker’s Beterbiev.
“Lewis’ style is more like Beterbiev, come forward, walk you down, land huge hurtful shots, but you’ve got to get hold of him and Paddy’s very slippery,” said Hearn. “And if he gets into his flow in five or six rounds, it’s going to be easier for him to coast the fight out and then maybe put his foot on the gas. I think a lot of it’s going to be down to how Lewis gets hold of Paddy Donovan early in the fight. He mustn’t be losing rounds and get six rounds in and be four or five down, because Paddy will start getting in his flow and then you get frustrated, then you’re loading up and then the fight can get away from you.”
There are several intriguing fights on the show that have the Irish fans engaged in the bill. With that in mind, it is likely the venue will be full long before the main event ringwalks.
There’s a crucial light heavyweight showdown between Craig Richards and Poddy McCrory.
“I tell you where the loser goes; done. Done,” said Hearn. “But I know Craig Richards. Both guys are getting on a little bit. And, if Craig doesn’t win in this fight, I don’t see him carrying on. Poddy, even after the [Edgar] Berlanga fight, was thinking, ‘Well, I’ve had a great run.’ Now, if he gets beat, he’s done, or they’re done anywhere near at world level. Craig, you’ve got coming off a little bit of a poor performance against Willy Hutchinson, Poddy a few question marks, both big punchers. I think it’s going to be a really good fight, and I think the winner maybe gets a Callum Smith, a [Anthony] Yarde fight or a Lyndon Arthur fight. You’re going to put yourself in line for a big British or European match-up and a big payday. It’s a stay alive fight. That’s the reality.
“Then you’ve got Kurt Walker against Leon Woodstock, that’s a really good fight, and get ready for Before the Bell, Shauna Browne, she’s fighting Elif Nur Turhan from Turkey whose team have hounded me for two years for an opportunity. When I tell you this is going to be an 10-round war… Shauna Browne doesn’t take a step back, she’s as tough as old boots, this Elif Turhan doesn’t stop coming forward. Massive puncher. And then you’ve got [Ruadhan] Farrell-[Gerard] Hughes rematch, they’ll punch the shit out of each other, it’s a really good night of boxing.”
