IRISH boxing’s rising stars Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan are on collision course after the big-punching welterweights from opposite sides of the border hammered out emphatic stoppage wins at Belfast’s Ulster Hall on Saturday night.
Limerick native Donovan came through a mid-round barrage from Argentinian opponent Williams Andres Herrera to win by TKO in the seventh and then Belfast’s Crocker, in the headline act at the raucous Bedford Street venue, needed five rounds to dismantle Mexico’s Jose Felix.
Afterwards Matchroom CEO Frank Smith said the time was right for the Irish rivals to go head-to-head.
“I would love to see Paddy Donovan fight Lewis Crocker,” he said.
“People say we should wait for it but how many of these fights don’t happen if you wait? Someone loses, something happens, someone moves up in weight… I think now’s the time and I would love to do it at the SSE Arena.”
Smith added that Matchroom were in talks with the GAA and the Irish Government over staging a Katie Taylor versus Chantelle Cameron fight at Croke Park in May.
“These conversations don’t happen overnight, there’s a lot of procedure you have to get through but we’re getting to a point of crunch-time if we’re looking at May.”
WBO Inter-Continental Welterweight (vacant) title: Lewis Crocker bt Jose Felix TKO5
THE Ulster Hall has been the scene of some historic battles down the years but there cannot have been many better punches landed in any of them than the Crocker left hook that flattened Jose Felix on Saturday night.
The tough Mexican, who had stunned Gary Cully in Dublin last year, was in trouble in the third and down in the fourth but there was no coming back from Lewis Crocker’s perfectly-timed, devastating left hook that finished it in the fifth.
After his breakout win over Tyrone McKenna in December, Crocker confirmed his place as the up-and-coming star of Irish boxing with another brilliant performance underpinned by his craft and headlined by his power. Now 19-0, this was his 11th stoppage win.
He controlled the opener but there was a reminder of what Felix did to Cully when he pinged a left hook off his jaw when the Belfast man dropped his hands late in the round.
Felix looked comfortable on the back foot in the second but Crocker began to crank up his intensity and got through with a couple of left hands. Another left hand midway through the third had the Mexican in serious trouble. Caught flush, he was backed into the ropes as Crocker unloaded with a right hook and another thumping left hand.
Felix did well to survive and Crocker smiled and shook his head as the Mexican tried to reply and was docked a point for repeated low blows before the end of a one-sided round.
Growing in confidence, Crocker stepped on the gas in the fourth, cutting off the ring and slamming a left hook into Felix’s ribs that sent him to the canvas in a crumpled heap. Again he showed that trademark Mexican resistance, getting back to his feet at ‘nine’ but Crocker would not be denied and another left hand finished it in the fifth.
Crocker weighed in at 150lbs (3lbs over the welterweight limit) but denied that he had been “unprofessional” and said he will continue to campaign at 147lbs.
“Everything that was asked of me, I did it,” he said after his win.
“I hate the way I’ve been portrayed as unprofessional because that’s not the case at all. I’m a 1-4-7 fighter and I will be going forward.”
Welterweight: Paddy Donovan bt Williams Andres Herrera TKO7
PADDY Donovan began his professional career at the Ulster Hall back in 2019 and just over four years and 12 fights later the Limerick native showcased the progress he has made.
Having strolled to three impressive victories last year, Donovan had to show a fighting heart to match his slick skills and weather a storm in the middle rounds to move to 13-0 as Argentine Herrera came out of his early shell and into all-out attack but the Andy Lee-trained welterweight skilfully stayed out of harm’s way and had the South American down twice with bodyshots in the seventh before he finished him off with a right hook.
Stylish Donovan was patient and untroubled throughout the early rounds. He pushed and probed and drew Herrera out of his shell and then slammed in crisp counters before gliding out of trouble.
But he didn’t have it all his own way. Herrara had kept his hands high over the first four rounds but he came out blazing in the fifth and gave Donovan his fill in it.
And there was more of the same in the sixth. Blood was dripping from Donovan’s nose as Herrera went after him and the Irish favourite had to show slick footwork to stay out of trouble. By the end of the round he had taken control again and a thumping bodyshot had Herrera down for an eight-count early in the seventh. Donovan went in for the kill - he hammered the ribs with a right hand to send the South American to the canvas again and a left hand/right hook combination finished Herrera off in his own corner. Referee Bob Williams stepped in to call off at 1.44 and there was drama at ringside as Herrera’s burly cornerman had to be held back by a posse of security guards.
WBA Inter-Continental Cruiserweight (vacant) title: Cheavon Clarke bt Tommy McCarthy TKO4
DISAPPOINTMENT for Tommy McCarthy who was stopped by gunslinging Londoner Cheavon Clarke.
McCarthy had hoped to beat the Tokyo Olympian and move on to a career swansong but the 33-year-old faces an uncertain future now after Clarke overwhelmed in the fourth.
Clarke came out to blow the Belfast man away, stepping in with hooks to the head and body but McCarthy used the ring and kept him at distance. The Lenadoon native was underfire again in the second but he remained calm and used his experience to step back and get his shots away as Clarke stalked him down. The opening Clarke was looking for came in the third when he pushed McCarthy onto the ropes and beat him to the punch.
McCarthy shaped to throw a right hand but Clarke got there first with a chopping right of his own and he followed it up with a ferocious barrage.
The bell came not a moment too soon for McCarthy who held onto the ropes as he made his way back to his corner. The minute’s rest wasn’t enough however and Clarke went for the kill in the fourth.
A bodyshot sent McCarthy to the canvas and, although he got back on his feet at the county of nine, referee Steve Gray jumped in to call a halt at 1.28 in the fourth.
Super-featherweight: Kurt Walker bt Darwing Martinez pts 40-36
WALKER had to work hard over six rounds against former amateur star Martinez but he earned his victory and moved to 10-0 with a busy display from start to finish. A good night’s work for Walker who looks ready for a chance to prove himself at a higher level.
Undercard results:
Welterweight: Conah Walker bt Lloyd Germain TKO3
Lightweight: Giorgio Visioli bt Samuel Pikire TKO2
Middleweight: Emmanuel Buttigieg bt Artjom Spatar pts 40-36