AS Paddy Donovan and Lewis Crocker traded insults and swore to knock each other out, a wag in the crowd at the Europa Hotel brought the house down.
“Paddy’s gettin’ knocked out… Taxi for Donovan,” he jeered.
It was light relief in an intense exchange between the unbeaten welterweight rivals from either side of the border. Donovan, wearing a ‘Crocodile Keeper’ costume bought as a prank by Andy Lee, seemed slightly wound-up as the Crocker fans enjoyed the joke. Perhaps Crocker was the more composed but there was little to choose between the fighters.
It’ll be the same on March 1 and Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn, relishing the electric atmosphere, asked Donovan for his prediction:
“I knock Lewis Crocker out,” said the Limerick native.
“From what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen there’ll be more people in there for me. Lewis represents Rangers I’ve heard and I’ve got a lot of Celtic fans so it’s good.
“Boxing fans in Ireland support the best fighters and I’m sure there’s people from both sides of Belfast who support Lewis and want to see him win. It’s the same with me.”
A stylish fighter with an innate understanding of the ‘noble art’ and the bigger puncher in the fight according to his coach Lee, Donovan will have a training camp in Saudi Arabia before the SSE Arena rumble. Always the favourite until this fight, ‘The Real Deal’ says the challenge that awaits has brought “the dog out” in him.
“There were fights in my career that I was expected to win,” he said.
“This time the bookies have it even, or I’m the underdog. I come from an underdog area, I come from an underdog family so I’m used to being the underdog and this is bringing the dog out in me.
“It gives me a different feeling to know that the fight is tight and maybe Lewis could be the favourite in Belfast. Maybe the bookmakers can have him slightly ahead but that gives me the urge to show that I’ve got that underdog in me, it’s never going to go away.
“I just want to get in there and show people that I can fight and box and do it all. I’m just excited to get in there and do a good number on Lewis.
“This could be one of the best fights you’re going to watch. I’m sure Crocker isn’t going to lie down easy and I can guarantee you I won’t lie down. It’s going to be a cracking fight.”