Crocker – Donovan – Why it should happen next according to Matchroom
Matchroom are ready to dangle a massive carrot over a safety net in a bid to get Paddy Donovan and Lewis Crocker to agree to fight.
The Irish pair have been heavily linked ever since Irish-boxing.com revealed Matchroom had discussed potentially matching them for the proposed Katie Taylor – Chantelle Cameron III card.
The noise surrounding a possible all-Irish welterweight meeting increased in volume massively last week with both populating the same card. It almost became deafening when Matchroom CEO Frank Smith told Irish-boxing.com he wanted to put the pair in against each other this summer.
It appears both fighters are willing but equally both have suggested it was one for further down the line, preferring to let it build into a bigger fight and subsequently a bigger payday.
Matchroom claim they remain keen to get it done as soon as possible and will look to open talks over the next two weeks.
To do that they will put away the stick and employ a carrot approach, selling the massive opportunity they believe will be available in the welterweight division for the winner.
Smith also points out that neither should fear defeat, hinting that the new landscape allows for a road back. He also indicates both fighter’s stock will rise if they agree trade leather regardless of the result.
“People are saying we should wait for it but so many of these fights don’t happen because people wait,” Smith said.
“Someone loses, something happens, someone moves up in weight. I think now is the time and I’d love to do it at the SSE.
“I would like to see it as a headline on its own show. I think it’s a fight that deserves to headline its own event.”
Pushed on how Matchroom would tempt both into the ring he added: “We have to make the right deals for them. We know it has to make sense for them both.
“They should also know it can really set the winner up for big fights. There is a lot of opportunity in the 147lbs division with the belts all becoming available. The winner could go on to something huge, straight into something huge,” he continues before discussing options for the defeated fighter.
“Maybe in the past there has been so much pressure around losses but if you take proper fights and you go in there and you give it everything I think there is still going to be opportunities down the road.”
With the Belfast side of the mouthwatering all-Irish fight being linked with a June or July SSE Arena clash, and Limerick’s Donovan a cert for a Katie Taylor undercard slot in May it looks unlikely they will share a ring next.
Although, Smith was adamant on Saturday night.
“There is work to be done and I think different members of the teams do want the fight, so let’s see.”
