“Good Luck Beating Him at His Best” – Conlan Sends Paddy Donovan Lewis Crocker Warning
Jamie Conlan believes Paddy ‘The Real Deal’ Donovan did not face the real Lewis Crocker back in March – and warns that the version set to enter the ring at Windsor Park on September 13 will be a very different animal.
Speaking to Irish-boxing.com, the Conlan Boxing boss said he sensed something was off with Crocker long before the first bell and claims that proved to be the case.
However, he says that if a below-par Crocker managed to defeat the Limerick native, albeit via disqualification, Donovan will be in trouble if the Belfast man consults his top form in their IBF world title fight.
“He just wasn’t the same Croc,” said Conlan when speaking to Irish-boxing.com. “But if Paddy couldn’t beat Lewis Crocker on his worst day… good luck beating him on his best day.
“Paddy was excellent. He boxed a real good game plan, real good fight. Obviously he’s going to have a real good game plan with Andy Lee in his corner – world-class coach, world-class.”
But it’s that sense of “unfinished business” – and belief in what Crocker can do when fully switched on – that makes the rematch so compelling in Conlan’s eyes.
“This time, the performance will be what it needs to be,” he adds.
The former world title challenger, who now promotes and manages fighters, has shared his feelings bout Crocker’s form in the bout and mood in the few hours before. He feels he has to because he is aware Crocker won’t resort to any form of excuse.
“I just knew in the changing room that he wasn’t himself,” Conlan revealed. “You could just see something wasn’t right and he wasn’t feeling right.”
“There were wee things like that that weren’t sitting right with him. He had a bit of an upset tummy as well.
“He’s a very introverted man. He keeps things to himself. I don’t think he even makes an excuse for the fight. He’s just saying, ‘It was a bad performance and I just gotta change that and put it to bed.’”
