First All Irish World Title Fight – Eddie Hearn confirms Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan Close in on Historic Fight
Paddy Donovan and Lewis Crocker have taken a huge step toward a historic world title fight.
Eddie Hearn, the promoter of both, has confirmed the path to an IBF welterweight world title rematch has been made clear.
The Limerick and Belfast rivals are due to rematch their March clash this Autumn and are close to agreeing on an eagerly anticipated return.
The IBF ordered the repeat to be an IBF world title eliminator with the winner to be afforded a shot at champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
However, peaking on Thursday, Matchroom boss, Hearn confirmed the rematch looks set for an upgrade.
In separate interviews, the Essex fight maker confirmed Ennis will move up to light middleweight and thus vacate his WBA, IBF, and Ring titles, and that move would mean the number one and two ranked fighters, Crocker and Donovan would challenge for the vacated IBF strap.
If things do align and a proposed September or October showdown is for the IBF strap, Donovan-Crocker II will be the first ever all-Irish title fight.
Speaking to Irish-boxing.com recently, Jamie Conlan, manager of ‘The Croc’, said if a world title was at stake, the fight would become the biggest domestic Irish fight of all time. The former world title challenger also said the fight was worthy of Windsor Park and urged for it to be hosted outdoors.
