Round-by-Round: Lewis Crocker vs. Paddy Donovan II | DAZN - 13 September 2025

[handsofstone]

I had Donovan ahead 114-113 but as intriguing as it was it was a poor fight in the main, too cagey obviously both men mindful of the first fight and now with a world title on the line but most of the time not much was happening, Crocker scored a flash knockdown in the 3rd countered Donovan with a left off the ropes the knockdown in the 5th was much more damaging, same shot but Donovan was hurt and was lucky the round ended, slowly Donovan boxed his way into things behind the southpaw jab but Crocker wasnt doing anything, there could've been a few even rounds it was slim pickings but I had Donovan sweeping the whole second half to eek out the win but Crocker gets it, I only had a point in it so I suppose I can't shout robbery but Crocker fortunate imo, didn't let his hands go until the last round

[Coco]

I think Crocker employed the right tactics to negate Donovan and win the fight.

I doubt think Donavan expected the change in tactics

[mickey1975]

I think Crocker employed the right tactics to negate Donovan and win the fight.

I doubt think Donavan expected the change in tactics

He didn't have a clue what to do. No plan B whatsoever. You have to give Big Billy credit here, they played a blinder.

[SeanBrennan]

I think Crocker employed the right tactics to negate Donovan and win the fight.

I doubt think Donavan expected the change in tactics

He didn't have a clue what to do. No plan B whatsoever. You have to give Big Billy credit here, they played a blinder.

Billy definitely knows his tactics

[a force]

I’ve always felt Billy’s a decent trainer.

He gets a lot of flack about Bakole’s conditioning but I imagine it’s hard to turn down the kind of pay days Bakole’s had from the Saudi’s. I doubt he’s in a position where he can refuse to train him because he won’t follow his diet correctly.

[SeanBrennan]

Yeah he’s spoken about Bakole diet recently. Bakole is a vegetarian and likes fatty food. I remember he said he was sorting a dietitian but he will have zero control when Bakole is back in Africa so it’ll be a frustrating one. He’s invested a lot of time into Martin too.

[TheLeprechaun]

I had Donovan ahead 114-113 but as intriguing as it was it was a poor fight in the main, too cagey obviously both men mindful of the first fight and now with a world title on the line but most of the time not much was happening, Crocker scored a flash knockdown in the 3rd countered Donovan with a left off the ropes the knockdown in the 5th was much more damaging, same shot but Donovan was hurt and was lucky the round ended, slowly Donovan boxed his way into things behind the southpaw jab but Crocker wasnt doing anything, there could've been a few even rounds it was slim pickings but I had Donovan sweeping the whole second half to eek out the win but Crocker gets it, I only had a point in it so I suppose I can't shout robbery but Crocker fortunate imo, didn't let his hands go until the last round

114-113 for Donovan is only possible if you are scoring 10-10 rounds. I knew straight away Crocker got it as soon as I heard the last card was 114-113 and it looked like Andy Lee knew in the background as well. Ian Darke usedII to be amazing at knowing how a scorecard was filled out just by hearing the score.

I didn't think you were scoring 10-10 rounds in your scorecards since judges rarely do it but ironically one judge did it last night.

[Boxerbeetle]

Yeah he’s spoken about Bakole diet recently. Bakole is a vegetarian and likes fatty food. I remember he said he was sorting a dietitian but he will have zero control when Bakole is back in Africa so it’ll be a frustrating one. He’s invested a lot of time into Martin too.

Wtf, he’s a vegetarian but still gets up to that size? What sort of stuff does he eat?

[handsofstone]

I had Donovan ahead 114-113 but as intriguing as it was it was a poor fight in the main, too cagey obviously both men mindful of the first fight and now with a world title on the line but most of the time not much was happening, Crocker scored a flash knockdown in the 3rd countered Donovan with a left off the ropes the knockdown in the 5th was much more damaging, same shot but Donovan was hurt and was lucky the round ended, slowly Donovan boxed his way into things behind the southpaw jab but Crocker wasnt doing anything, there could've been a few even rounds it was slim pickings but I had Donovan sweeping the whole second half to eek out the win but Crocker gets it, I only had a point in it so I suppose I can't shout robbery but Crocker fortunate imo, didn't let his hands go until the last round

114-113 for Donovan is only possible if you are scoring 10-10 rounds. I knew straight away Crocker got it as soon as I heard the last card was 114-113 and it looked like Andy Lee knew in the background as well. Ian Darke usedII to be amazing at knowing how a scorecard was filled out just by hearing the score.

I didn't think you were scoring 10-10 rounds in your scorecards since judges rarely do it but ironically one judge did it last night.

Yeh I gave a round even, can't remember what one, there were a few pick em rounds where not much happened at all, I try not to score 10-10s but sometimes you have to, Crawford and Canelo was similar

[rd350lc]

Yeah he’s spoken about Bakole diet recently. Bakole is a vegetarian and likes fatty food. I remember he said he was sorting a dietitian but he will have zero control when Bakole is back in Africa so it’ll be a frustrating one. He’s invested a lot of time into Martin too.

Wtf, he’s a vegetarian but still gets up to that size? What sort of stuff does he eat?

Skips full of mccain chips.

[SeanBrennan]

Yeah he’s spoken about Bakole diet recently. Bakole is a vegetarian and likes fatty food. I remember he said he was sorting a dietitian but he will have zero control when Bakole is back in Africa so it’ll be a frustrating one. He’s invested a lot of time into Martin too.

Wtf, he’s a vegetarian but still gets up to that size? What sort of stuff does he eat?

I’ve no idea mate sorry

[gilgamesh]

Crocker beat Donovan? Wild results all around this weekend.

[SeanBrennan]

Crocker beat Donovan? Wild results all around this weekend.

Yes mate, consensus is though that Donovan won although I am pro Donovan. I’ve watched it twice now and had it by 4 points to Paddy.

[THEBUTCH]

Crocker & Billy rolled the dice with those tactics and it just about paid off.

I'm glad we got to see Crocker is still a heavy hitter at this level.

[KiwiRider]

Crocker & Billy rolled the dice with those tactics and it just about paid off.

I'm glad we got to see Crocker is still a heavy hitter at this level.

It goes to show something was up with him in the first fight.
This was the sort of performance I expected.

[rd350lc]

Crocker & Billy rolled the dice with those tactics and it just about paid off.

I'm glad we got to see Crocker is still a heavy hitter at this level.

It goes to show something was up with him in the first fight.
This was the sort of performance I expected.

Yes, so much better this time and thankfully we had a competitive fight.
Still think Donovan nicked it but showed frailties in there.

[goose 5]

Donovan won on my card, 115-111.

[Taansend]

Where does Paddy do from here?

He's now lost two on the bounce & just came through a gruelling 12 round fight.

Should he take the rest of the year off , lick his wounds & come back with 2 or 3 lower level fights where he can bash up a couple of bodies before focusing on another title shot later next year?

Should he get a spot on the Parker Wardley bill, just to get his face out there?

Or maybe jump back in in the New Year with a bit of a name? Harlem Eubank? Ekow Essuman?

Or, and this is what I would be pushing for if I were his Team, start some fornicating beef with Ryan Garcia, screaming about how Irishmen beat Mexicans every day of the week & twice on Sunday. Even if you don't get a Garcia fight your profile Stateside would be massive.

[Bigdogsnose]

Where does Paddy do from here?

He's now lost two on the bounce & just came through a gruelling 12 round fight.

Should he take the rest of the year off , lick his wounds & come back with 2 or 3 lower level fights where he can bash up a couple of bodies before focusing on another title shot later next year?

Should he get a spot on the Parker Wardley bill, just to get his face out there?

Or maybe jump back in in the New Year with a bit of a name? Harlem Eubank? Ekow Essuman?

Or, and this is what I would be pushing for if I were his Team, start some fornicating beef with Ryan Garcia, screaming about how Irishmen beat Mexicans every day of the week & twice on Sunday. Even if you don't get a Garcia fight your profile Stateside would be massive.

He looked devastated. I think it will take sometime to get over this one. Its like Groves v froch for me. When George lost the first fight he had something to cling to, the rematch was in front of him and he was uber confident he'd win. Also made the 2nd fight so much bigger than the first. Groves took a hell of a long time to get over that loss.

Donovan was looking at having a world title, calling out Benn for a money spinner. He now has to recalibrate to the fact he's going to have to rebuild. If he wants to get straight back in the mix then maybe the Catterall fight, he could lose that though.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Eddie Hearn targets unification showdowns for Lewis Crocker

After Lewis Crocker’s shock split-decision win over Paddy Donovan here at Windsor Park, his promoter Eddie Hearn started outlining what the future of the new IBF welterweight champion might look like.

“It was an unbelievable night for Windsor Park,” said Hearn. “I mean, just a whole night full of drama. [It was] a very closely fought contest in the main event, and Belfast has a new world champion in Lewis Crocker – 147-pound IBF world champion, Lewis Crocker.”

Hearn said a trilogy fight with Limerick’s Donovan was unlikely. Crocker, despite winning well under half of the 20 rounds they have fought together, is 2-0 in their series.

“The IBF do a great job and they are quite forceful with their mandatories, so, you get your voluntary, and then, unless you have a unification, it’s quite likely that you have to face a mandatory, and you want to make that first defence count,” Hearn said. “So, we’ll speak to [Crocker’s manager] Jamie [Conlan] and the team, but this is the opportunity to secure your future, financially, forever.

“I mean, tonight was a nice payday, last one was a decent payday, and then, the plan now is to make sure that you can buy your house, and you can have a great life, and if you win, it’s just a game of snakes and ladders, boxing. But, not just Conor Benn [is a possible future opponent], but Devin Haney, unification, if he beats Brian Norman, [Rolando] ‘Rolly’ Romero, unification, Teofimo Lopez, I mean, these are the names that… they’ve never had a fight like that in Belfast, those kind of names coming into Belfast, but, obviously, with Lewis and Conor being part of the Matchroom team, it’s an easy fight to make.”

Many felt Donovan deserved to win the fight. He was down twice, but won more rounds. BS, from ringside, had it 114-113 for Donovan.

“[It was] really difficult to score, I gave Lewis Crocker the second round, I think the sixth round, and the 12th round,” said Hearn. “And the two 10-8 rounds, so that’s two 10-8s, plus three rounds, which is 114-113 to Lewis Crocker, but the 12th round could have gone either way, the second round was a very tight round, and there was other rounds that were tight rounds. Donovan did win a lot of rounds, but after the two knockdowns, it’s a really tough fight to win from there. And I think Lewis would agree, if he lost by a point, he certainly wouldn’t be saying, ‘This is a joke’, he would say, ‘Thought I nicked it, but I understand, it can go either way’. So a point either way, but I can see the 114-113 card as well, and maybe I can see Paddy Donovan by a point. It’s just a lot of those rounds, not a lot happened.

“If you like the more eye-catching shots, they come from Lewis Crocker. Paddy boxed really well, he's a great fighter, but to be honest, when I got in the ring [after the fight], I had absolutely no idea [who had won].”

Asked whether there could be a third fight between the pair, Hearn then said: “If Paddy wins tonight, he’s looking for the big fights, and the most lucrative opportunities, and the rematch is a big fight, a trilogy, but it’s not as big as some of the other opportunities out there, being honest. I think Paddy will get his shot again, and we will make sure we give him a big fight, and he’s a quality fighter.”

Hearn, however, was full of praise for the winner, too.

“This is a really, really big win,” the Matchroom promoter added. “This is an established belt in a red-hot division at the moment, and I think it’s going to get really exciting from here.”

[SeanBrennan]

I always think when Hearn said it could have gone either way, he’s knowing the other fighter lost

[gilgamesh]

Well Donovan definitely outboxed him through most of the rounds, but when you get dropped twice in the other guys' hometown it probably ain't gonna be your night, and indeed it was not for Paddy.

Strange to think it might take 3 attempts for him to beat a guy that he clearly seems to be better than

However if I'm Crocker, there will be no 3rd fight. Not for a long time anyway.

[TheLeprechaun]

Where does Paddy do from here?

He's now lost two on the bounce & just came through a gruelling 12 round fight.

Should he take the rest of the year off , lick his wounds & come back with 2 or 3 lower level fights where he can bash up a couple of bodies before focusing on another title shot later next year?

Should he get a spot on the Parker Wardley bill, just to get his face out there?

Or maybe jump back in in the New Year with a bit of a name? Harlem Eubank? Ekow Essuman?

Or, and this is what I would be pushing for if I were his Team, start some fornicating beef with Ryan Garcia, screaming about how Irishmen beat Mexicans every day of the week & twice on Sunday. Even if you don't get a Garcia fight your profile Stateside would be massive.

If he thought Crockers counter punching style was giving him problems, he will have an absolute nightmare with Catterall.

He probably needs to be looking at the Essumans, and Conah Walkers. He couldn't have had an easier chance to win a world title vs Crocker. Matchroom will probably want Benn to pick up that belt off Crocker. If Paddy just keeps on winning he can angle himself for another shot at that belt regardless of who holds it but he might be swerved or have a long road ahead of him. He should absolutely steer clear of Catterall because I can't think of a worse style for him. Even if he fights Crocker again it's a close fight. Crocker knows what to do against him now. Fighters are going to come in with negative counter punching tactics against Paddy now so he needs to learn to be proactive. Messing around for the majority of the fight like he did vs Ritson isn't going to serve him well. He needs to be clearly winning rounds on the frontfoot.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Liam Paro 'confident' of dethroning new 147lbs champion Lewis Crocker

Liam Paro is “confident” of a future victory over Lewis Crocker after edging closer to challenging for the IBF welterweight title with Thursday’s defeat of David Papot.

The Australian – the IBF champion at junior welterweight until recording his only defeat, against Richardson Hitchins in December 2024 – marked his move to welterweight by outpointing France’s Papot at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane in an eliminator for Crocker’s title, and intends on remaining active regardless of whether it is Crocker he fights next.

That he sustained an eye injury means that he is not expected to return to the ring before 2026 – and in what might yet be a final eliminator in the pursuit of the 28-year-old Crocker – but it is the Northern Irishman who is in Paro’s sights, and who he increasingly respects after the unexpected victory over Paddy Donovan that earned Crocker the-then vacant title.

“I’ve got to give Crocker respect,” Paro, 29, told Boxing Scene. “He changed the game plan; I think he surprised Donovan; the early knockdowns I think rattled his confidence.

“It was very close – Donovan did alright, but the game plan, the change up, of Crocker was what had him surprised, I think. The first [fight] was very dominant in Donovan’s favour, so you’ve got to respect Crocker and his team for coming up with that and executing it and catching him and putting him on the canvas numerous times.

“It was a good fight, but I’m confident I could have beaten both guys and I’m confident I can get Crocker when my opportunity arises. I’ve just got to keep winning.”

[steve689]

I always think when Hearn said it could have gone either way, he’s knowing the other fighter lost

Of course, Hearn always comes off with the same nonsense. "I thought x fighter won the last couple of rounds" is another of his stock phrases. It worked out well for him in the end. A rematch and a world title. Donovan still marketable, Crocker has a title. Eddie a winner.