A MONUMENTAL upset saw Lewis Crocker outpoint Paddy Donovan, dropping his man twice before claiming the vacant IBF world welterweight title.
Two scorecards of 114-112 and 114-113 swung in favour of the pre-fight underdog, while judge Reece Carter had it 115-111 for Donovan, 14-2 (11 KOs).
Needless to say, it was a vastly different spectacle to what unfolded in March, back when Donovan, who seemed on his way towards a clear victory, was disqualified under highly controversial circumstances.
But this time around, Crocker, 22-0 (11 KOs), well and truly rose to the occasion at Windsor Park, Belfast, and secured a second victory over his Irish rival.
A cagey opener saw the home fighter stick behind his jab, clearly not looking to take any unnecessary risks, while Donovan simply matched his opponent’s low output.
Maintaining his measured approach, the Belfast man then fiddled his way through another uneventful three minutes before a sharp left hook, arriving almost from out of nowhere, floored Donovan in the third frame.
It was a flash knockdown, more than anything else, but still, the 10-8 round certainly inspired a degree of respect from the Limerick man.
Both men then enjoyed their fair share of success, landing simultaneous shots in the fourth round, only for Crocker to have the final say after catching his man with a looping left hook while sliding out of the pocket.
Then, towards the end of the following frame, another left hand, this one delivered with an arcing motion over the top, saw Donovan hit the canvas once again.
Soon after, Crocker continued to box with an element of control which suggested that the man who entered the ring back in March was either a doppelganger or, perhaps more likely, a severely hampered version of himself.
But despite ‘The Croc’ landing a meaningful right hand in the seventh frame, it did seem that Donovan, as proven by the rounds that followed, was beginning to take back a shred of momentum.
Crocker, however, landed yet another clubbing left hook in the ninth round, and if not for his lack of activity, would have likely entered the final few sessions with a comfortable lead.
But as it happened, Donovan had managed to claw back several rounds with his jab, before firmly restoring his control in the last six minutes.
All that came back from Crocker was a series of wild swings, his fists mostly hitting fresh air, yet there were likely few complaints when he ultimately got his hand raised.
“I just want to say to all the people that were giving me stick from the last fight: when you write your posts tomorrow, make sure you write, ‘Lewis Cocker… World f***ing champion,’” the newly-crowned champion said in his post-fight interview.
“I think I boxed a great fight,” he continued. “I showed people that I can box, and I showed a different class.
“Nobody gave me a shot going into this fight. Everyone thought I was going to get stopped, but I wasn’t the one in trouble tonight.
“I think a massive fight for the UK fans is [against] Conor Benn. Big respect for Conor Benn – I think he’s an incredible fighter – and, if me and him go at it, it would be super entertaining for the fans.”
