Lewis Crocker, Paddy Donovan Near All-Ireland World Title Rematch

Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan are set for a historic rematch this autumn, potentially for the vacant IBF welterweight world title after current champion Jaron 'Boots' Ennis announced plans to move up to light middleweight and vacate his belts. Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that the rematch, initially ordered as a title eliminator, could be upgraded to a world title fight, marking the first all-Irish world title boxing match. The fight is tentatively scheduled for September or October, with venues under consideration including Belfast's SSE Arena and Windsor Park, Northern Ireland's National Football Stadium, which has not hosted a boxing event since 2018. Jamie Conlan, manager of Crocker, emphasized the significance of the bout, calling it potentially the biggest domestic Irish fight ever and advocating for it to be held in a larger outdoor venue like Windsor Park to match the fight's magnitude. Financial viability remains a key factor in the venue decision, with a needed crowd size of around 16,000 to break even, compared to 8,000 at their previous fight. Both fighters hold top rankings in the IBF, and the rematch carries added anticipation due to the controversial nature of their first encounter, which ended with Donovan's disqualification despite his dominant performance.