Donovan and Crocker on collision course after emphatic stoppage wins

Paddy Donovan and Lewis Crocker 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 last 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."

In last night’s action, Donovan returned to the venue he had debuted at in 2019 and just over four years and 12 fights later, he showcased the progress he has made.

Having strolled to three imperious 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.

Argentine Herrera came out of his early shell and into all-out attack mode in the fifth and sixth but the Andy Lee-trained welterweight skilfully stayed out of harm’s way and had the South American down twice with bodyshots in the