The bad blood born on March 1 will spill again on September 13, when unbeaten hometown hero Lewis “The Croc” Crocker and slick southpaw Paddy “Real Deal” Donovan run it back at Belfast’s SSE Arena - this time for the vacant IBF welterweight title left behind by Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
Their first encounter produced drama worthy of a sequel. Donovan boxed brilliantly, flooring Crocker in the eighth and leading comfortably on all cards before a late-bell right hook - landed with referee Marcus McDonnell out of position - turned triumph to turmoil. With two earlier penalty deductions for elbows and head-first rushes, the foul sealed Donovan’s disqualification and handed Crocker a controversial eliminator win.
Watch Crocker vs. Donovan highlights: Watch
Donovan’s legal team immediately petitioned for a rematch, and the IBF agreed - though the stakes were unclear until Ennis vacated his belt to chase bigger prey at 154 lbs. The title vacancy elevated the already volatile rivalry into a full-blown championship showdown, giving both fighters a direct route to world honours.
For Crocker, the bout offers validation: a chance to silence doubts that the DQ saved his unbeaten record. For Donovan, it’s redemption and reward rolled into one - erase the lone blemish, claim a strap, and do it on enemy turf. The atmosphere in Belfast promises to be electric, with Matchroom promoting and DAZN expected to stream globally.
Image Credit: The Ring