An Irish derby headlines a Matchroom-promoted card at the SSE Arena in Belfast this Saturday, as Belfast’s Lewis Crocker takes on Limerick’s Paddy Donovan in a final eliminaor for Jaron Ennis’ IBF welterweight world title.
DAZN televise Crocker vs Donovan live worldwide.
Crocker (20-0, 11 KOs) has impressed since joining the Matchroom stable in 2023, and he began with a dominant points win over Tyrone McKenna.
2024 saw ‘The Croc’ out twice, stopping Jose Felix in five rounds in January, and he was then pushed hard by Conah Walker in June, eventually coming through in a close points win.
Donovan (14-0, 11 KOs) is on a run of five straight early wins and was last out in May last year where he scored a ninth round stoppage win over the faded Lewis Ritson in Leeds.
Prediction: This one could be a close, cagey affair, with Crocker and Donovan both unbeaten, and hungry to progress. Both also hit hard, and I tentatively lean towards Crocker getting his hand raised by a close margin on the cards.
Richards meets McCrory
Craig Richards appears on the undercard, and the light heavyweight gets a ten round assignment against Padraig McCrory, who moves back up to 175 pounds after a spell at super middleweight.
Richards (18-4-1, 11 KOs) has only lost in good company in his last few contests, including a spirited points defeat in May 2021 to now-undisputed champion, Dmitry Bivol in Manchester, and he also pushed Joshua Buatsi all the way a year later, losing on two scorecards by just two points.
The 34-year-old was defeated in his most recent contest, a pulsating points reverse to Willy Hutchinson out in Riyadh.
McCrory (19-1, 9 KOs) has only lost once, and that was a sixth round knockout reverse to Edgar Berlanga last February, but he did return to winning ways in November 2024, widely outscoring Leonard Carrillo in Belfast.
Prediction: Richards is an underrated boxer, and big for the weight, and I favour him to get the job done in the later rounds in this one.
McCarthy battles Ward
A crossroads clash at cruiserweight sees former European champion Tommy McCarthy face off with Steven Ward over a scheduled ten.
McCarthy (21-6, 10 KOs) has lost four of his last seven bouts, the most recent a fourth round defeat to Cheavon Clarke last January, and Ward (14-3, 4 KOs) ended an over two-year lay-off to pick up a win, before being halted in five by Juergen Uldedaj in July.
Prediction: McCarthy can win a shootout early on.
Walker faces Woodstock
Lisburn featherweight Kurt Walker sees action, and he is at ten round level for the second straight fight, this time against Leon Woodstock.
Walker (11-0, 2 KOs) forced the tough James Beech Jr to retire after seven rounds in his last outing, while Leicester’s Woodstock (16-3, 7 KOs) has won four low-key contests since defeats to Zelfa Barrett and Anthony Cacace in 2019 and 2021 respectively.
Prediction: I favour the fresher Walker to come through on points.
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Remaining Undercard
At lightweight, Irish hope Shauna Browne should remain undefeated with a points victory over Turkey’s Elif Nur Turhan (9-0, 5 KOs).
The sole eight rounder is at super bantamweight, where Ruadhan Farrell (6-1-1, 2 KOs) can score a points win against Gerard Hughes (5-0-1) in their rematch, with the pair fighting to a six round draw in December 2023.
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Over six rounds, Aaron Bowen (4-0, 3 KOs) can win early in his middleweight clash with Juan Cruz Cacheiro (7-3, 3 KOs).
In the sole four rounder, Jack O’Neill (3-0, 1 KO) can take a points win over Mohammed Wako (1-2).
