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Familiar Venue offers New Experience for Eric Donovan

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The South Circular Road and the National Stadium are nothing new to five-time Irish Elite Senior champion Eric Donovan [1(0)-0]

‘Lilywhite Lightning’ has graced the Dublin 8 venue for both club and country, winning titles from bantamweight through to lightweight.

When the Athy native did appear at the home of Irish boxing he wasn’t just supported by those from his own club or county, but by the fight family in general.

However, the Kildare boxer, who got his career in the professional ranks off to a flying start with a hard-fought points victory over experienced slugger Damian Lawniczak, claims fighting in the Stadium as a pro was a whole new experience and a whole different atmosphere.

The punching pundit, who follows up his successful pro debut win with a return to the south Dublin venue after securing a slot on Red Corner promotions bumper ‘Inception’ bill on Saturday November 5th, said:

“I loved the pro atmosphere in the Stadium, it’s very different to what I’ve experience before, much more hungry and aggressive.”

“I could barely hear myself think with all the noise on the night. You would have thought I had 30,000 of them in the Stadium. The support drove me on in the last round, which was my best of the bout when I had become more comfortable and the nerves eased,” admitted the 31 year old European bronze medalist – who cut short his post-fight celebrations in order to participate in the ‘Hell And Back’ run the following morning.

“Now I have a new challenge and will be stepping up to the quality of opponent which is another hurdle on route to getting a shot at that Irish title. I need to get my body used to all these challenges and keep building up and up until I’m am ready for the title shot in 2017”.

“I’ve been in training for weeks already and I will be pushing hard for a knockout win this time. I am on track to achieve my goal and the work I’ve been putting in at the gym with my coach, Dominic O’Rourke is paying off. I can’t wait to just get back in there again. It was such a buzz after the first fight and I want to make sure that that isn’t the last time I get that feeling,” added the St. Michael’s clubman.

The ‘Inception’ bill brings together much of Ireland’s rising talent under one roof including Dublin’s unbeaten Steve Collins Jnr, former Prizefighter contestant Luke Keeler, Wexford’s unbeaten heavyweight Niall Kennedy, Derry amateur star Connor Coyle, Feargal McCrory, Donegal’s Darren Magan, Fingal welter Crank Whitehouse, and Ireland’s newest female pro boxer Lynn Harvey.

Tickets for Eric’s debut at the National Stadium, Dublin on Saturday, June 25 range from €40 for a gallery seat and €60 ringside, and are available in Athy from The Healthy Living Centre, 2 Duke Street, Athy, Co. Kildare. Alternatively, call Laura on 0867949406.

Follow Eric on twitter at @Eric_Donovan60

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

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