“I Deserve to Be World Champion” – Crocker Defeat Still Haunts Paddy Donovan
Paddy Donovan admits the pain of his two defeats to Lewis Crocker still lingers – because deep down he believes he should still be undefeated.
The Limerick welterweight returns to action in Germany on Saturday against dangerous Ukrainian Karen Chukhadzhian.
As a world title eliminator victory could pave the way for a third showdown with Crocker, although it’s also a chance to return winning ways for the Limerick southpaw.
The stylist suffered back to back high level defeats against his Belfast rival and while he insists he has moved forward mentally, he also makes no secret of the frustration he still feels.
“Obviously I thought I won the fight,” Donovan told Irish-boxing.com.
“So did everybody else. It’s obviously a hard pill to swallow not being a world champion. Being so close yet being so far.
“Just looking back on it, I just thought I should have won realistically, shouldn’t I? Should have won the two fights.”
The 26-year-old says he has struggled with the feeling that circumstances – rather than ability – cost him.
“I deserve to be world champion. I honestly do,” he said.
“I think the way the first fight ended, the way the second fight went, I believe Howard Foster was a fantastic ref but he made a big mistake in giving the score in the first knockdown which played dividends in the next couple of rounds.
“Maybe I lost concentration, maybe it was my fault for switching off for a couple of rounds, but once I got things together, it wasn’t an even playing field at all. I think I dominated Lewis Crocker from round six right to the end.”
The emotional fallout from the defeats has been unlike anything the Munster man has experienced in boxing before.
“It’s a strange one. I don’t think many fighters have felt the feelings I’ve felt over the last couple of months,” he explained.
“I think losing a fight fair and square, it’s easy to sleep at night and you can turn your head and say, ‘Look, it is what it is. We regroup. We get back in the gym.’
“But to lose in the fashion that I have, it’s obviously a bit of a pill to swallow.”
Despite his frustrations, Donovan remains respectful toward Crocker and even backed the Belfast man to retain his title against Liam Paro in Australia.
He is adamant the rivalry story has not reached its conclusion.
“Lewis Crocker is not a better fighter than me and I honestly know that deep down,” Donovan stated.
“That’s not boasting or bragging. He’s got his wins and fair play to him.
“But I think next time around for sure I’ll get my hand raised and I’ll be the world champion.”
For now, though, Donovan’s focus is firmly fixed on Germany.
The slick southpaw knows defeat against Chukhadzhian could seriously damage his hopes of reaching the summit.
“It’s a must-win fight,” he said.
“There’s a big difference looking at my record this time last year being undefeated and now to have two losses. Realistically in my head I still feel like I am undefeated.
“But to the outside looking in, there’s still two defeats on my record. To have three would really be devastating.”
