Headline News

Make or Break – Eric Donovan ready to risk it


18 years old and sporting a record of 1(1)-1(1)-1, Bulgaria’s Samuil Dimitrov is in Dublin this weekend to do a job.

Not to win, far from it, but to provide a body for Eric Donovan [7(4)-0], someone to go through the motions with and get a win over.

The Kildare featherweight southpaw, off the back of a far from perfect camp, is returning to the ring after almost five months out as he recovers from a fractured index finger on his sharp left hand.

A four-rounder, the fight on the ‘Celtic Clash 6’ bill is probably the least competitive of the twelve bouts set to take place at Good Counsel GAA Club tomorrow night [Saturday July 14th].

Considering the circumstances, however, nobody is complaining and Donovan, who likens the fight to a ‘friendly match’, is adamant that this is his final dalliance with journeymen before he makes his move into the big time.

Before his injury, ‘Lilywhite Lightning’ had won and retained the BUI Celtic title – which he today vacated to facilitate a title fight between stablemates Colin O’Donovan and Carl McDonald, and wants to return to this level and then some.

Should he avoid an unprecedented disaster tomorrow night, Donovan will move to 8-0 and become eligible for consideration in the European Boxing Union rankings.

The Athy former amateur star already has eyes on EU champ Andoni Gago and European champion Marc Vidal, and he plans for his star to rise exponentially with every passing fight.

In no position or mood to wait around, Donovan is ready to take risks and explained to Irish-Boxing.com how “every fight is a risk fight for me, every fight. I need to keep taking risks and keep going as far as I can go.”

“This next fight will put me 8-0, I’m approaching double digits and when you get into that area as a fighter, in to those rankings, every fight is a big fight, a make-or-break fight for me.

“I don’t know if I have the time or the ability to pick myself up and go again if things don’t go to plan.”

“I can’t see myself going further than 35. I’m 33 soon, I’ve two years left to try and make the best.”

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

dpg

logo may

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

x