Boxing: Crocker-Donovan Rematch Gets World Title Status

The rematch between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan has been officially upgraded to a world title fight with the vacant IBF welterweight belt now on the line.

Promoters Matchroom Boxing confirmed on Thursday that the title previously held by American Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis would be the prize for the winner of the rematch.

The bout will be the first time two boxers from the island of Ireland have met in a world title fight.

A date and venue has yet to be confirmed but Saturday, 13 September has been floated as a potential date with Windsor Park, the home of the Northern Ireland football team, the preferred venue.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI in June, Matchroom Boxing chief executive Frank Smith said things were “moving the right direction” for the fight to take place at the football stadium and that talks with the Irish Football Association had been “positive”.

The first meeting between the pair on 1 March was a final eliminator for the IBF title and ended in controversial fashion with Crocker taking the win by disqualification in front of a 8,500 crowd at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

Donovan, who had twice previously been deducted points, was thrown out at the end of the eighth round for punching after the bell.

An appeal from Donovan’s team resulted in the IBF granting a rematch which would again serve as a final eliminator for the world title but with champion Ennis moving up to the light-middleweight, the belt became vacant.

Bbc.com