Paddy Donovan Does Not Think Lewis Crocker is ‘World Class’

Paddy Donovan (14-0, 11 KOs) is doubtful of Lewis Crocker’s (20-0, 11 KOs) skillset.

It’s all Irish carnival, as Belfast faces Limerick, with their unbeaten pugilistic superstars pitting against each other for the IBF welterweight final eliminator. As the fight night at SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday night inches closer, Donovan confessed why he thinks that his opponent isn’t “world-class” yet.

The duo recently sat down for their Face-Off. Talking about the fight taking place in Belfast, Donovan revealed that he is actually looking forward to fighting as the underdog.

“I preferably like being the underdog. I come from an underdog area. Privileged family that were always classed as the underdogs. It’s nice to have that little feeling inside to get back that feeling of being an underdog. If Lewis is favourite here in Belfast, then well on him, but I like the feeling of being an underdog,” he said.

Further talking about his upcoming opponent, Donovan mentioned that Crocker gives the vibe of being a heavy hitter. While he isn’t underestimating his power, he believes he has a more diverse skillset and discipline.

Donovan added that he believes Crocker’s game plan will be to keep a tight guard, walk down, and try to bring a fight. But, he is confident that Crocker wouldn’t be able to stand and box with him.

“I think that I can stand and fight with Lewis. There’s different ways of looking at this fight. To be a complete fighter and to be up there with the best fighters in the world, you need to be able to do it all. Inside, long, middle distance, angles, you need it all. Full package. I believe I can do that. I don’t think Lewis can. Not yet. I think he’s a high-level British fighter, but I don’t think he’s world-class,” he said.

“I Know All About That”

On the other hand, Crocker had a more levelheaded approach to the conversation. Talking about Donovan expressing his interest in being the underdog, he mentioned that it is a feeling that he only knows too well.

“We’re saying about being an underdog, when I was watching Paddy rise up and stuff, this was a couple of years back, nothing was going right in my life. Talking about the underdog story, I went from main eventing in Belfast, and then my next fight was a year-and-a-half later in Scotland in a hotel. I was slowly but surely getting back to this stage. Talking about being an underdog, I know all about that myself,” he said.

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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