Boxing
Eddie Hearn says that the winner of Lewis Crocker-Paddy Donovan will land Jaron Ennis
Published
1 year agoon
Belfast – Promoter Eddie Hearn admits that it is unlikely that the winner of the Saturday fight of Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan will end the challenge of Jaron Ennis for IBF.
Ennis is fighting WBA Beltholder Eimantas Stanionis in April, and Crocker-Donovan is the eliminator of the Philadelphia Championships.
But only because Ennis is heading in a different direction, it does not mean that there is not much on the line for the Saturday winner at the SSE arena in Belfast.
“So, when Boots fights with Stanionis, the winner will receive a letter with information that you have to fight Paddy Donovan or Lewis Crocker, whoever wins,” explained Hearn. “And it is very likely that the shoes decide not to fight this person because he will go to 154, or ask to release from the fight with another master, which will probably be awarded. But then there will be no layoffs and it is very likely that the winner of this fight will fight for a free title. And when you look at the rankings, it is very likely that it will be a fight that you can bring to Ireland. If it’s Crocker, it is very likely that he can fight for the title of World Championships in Odyssey, the World Cup Championships. This is a huge title to win. And if it is Paddy, there is a good chance that we could bring a substantial fight to the south of Ireland and try something wild, and he could fight for the championship of the world -class weight. If you win this belt, you put yourself in a position for Haney, Garcia, Teofimo, all the life changing fights, so it will be really intriguing to see what will happen. But without a crocker, who will now be the headline in Northern Ireland? You can do good nights for fighting … Crocker is not a star yet to fill the arena with anyone. He does it against Paddy, because it is a great fight and everyone is buying north-south, Belfast-Limerick, but if he wins, he has the opportunity to fill him in huge fights. “
It is a fight that captured the imagination, and 8,000 fans will pack a place in Fight Night. Donovan-Crocker is not yet well-established stars, but the chemistry they created and the energy of the fight is concrete.
“It’s quite unusual, undefeated, in their absolute splendor, it is very true and you often don’t see it,” added Hearn. “Both have teams that think their man is insurmountable in this fight. You have Billy Nelson and some may sometimes call him a little illusive, but he is sold 100 percent that Lewis Crocker will pass through Paddy Donovan. Andy Lee is the biggest fan of Paddy Donovan on the planet, so normally in such a fight, you would think that he might think: “What about another route?” Or people, especially they both come from Ireland, do not tend to do so, because there are many on the line with the rights to brag. If you lose this fight, you have a future for now, but not at the world level. “
With this in mind, Hearn was clearly impressed by the state in which Donovan, in which he appears, but also delights with Crocker’s weighty hands.
“I think Paddy will be razor. I think it looks in an unbelievable form, “added Hearn. “There are two paddys, right? There is a fallen, who was in Belfast in Belfast, when we did a miniature show, a four -week termination, a bit plump. Still flashy, but then he gets a little tired, and then there is the devered one who probably trained out of the respect of Lewis Crocker, knowing that it was a real fight. I think Lewis is a substantial blow. “
He tactically said that the best Donovana plant is Bivol to make Crocker’s Beterbiv.
“Lewis’s style is more like Beterbiev, come, go down, huge painful shots land, but you have to catch him, and Paddy is very slippery,” said Hearn. “And if he enters his flow in five or six rounds, it will be easier for him to choose a fight, and he can put his foot on gas. I think that a lot will depend on how Lewis has Paddy Donovan at the beginning of the fight. He can’t lose missiles and get six celebrations and have four or five down, because Paddy will start in his flow, and then he frustrated, then you will load, and then the fight can leave you. ”
There are several intriguing fights in the series, in which Irish fans got involved in the bill. With this in mind, probably the place will be full long before the main event.
Between Craig Richards and Nadzie McCrora and Nadzie McCrora.
“I tell you where the loser is going; done. Ready – said Hearn. “But I know Craig Richards. Both guys move a little. And if Craig doesn’t win in this fight, I don’t see him continue. Nasty, even after [Edgar] Berlanga Fight, he thought: “Well, I had a great run.” Now, if he is defeated, he finished or ended near the world level. Craig, you have some bad performance against Willy Hutchinson, a few signs of questions, both great puncher. I think it will be a really good fight and I think the winner may get a smith calum, a [Anthony] Yarde fight or Lyndon Arthur fight. You intend to put yourself on a great British or European duel and a great payment day. This is a struggle to stay alive. This is reality.
“So you have Kurt Walker against Leon Woodstock, it’s a really good fight and get ready for the bell, Shauna Browne, fights with Elif Nur Turhan from Turkey, whose team haunted me for two years. When I tell you that it will be a 10-rund war … Shauna Browne will not go back, it is as strenuous as elderly shoes, this Elif Turhan does not cease to appear. Huge puncher. And then you have [Ruadhan] Farrell-[Gerard] Hughes rematch, they will get together, it’s a really good box of boxing. “
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Boxing
Pierce OLeary vs. Mark Chamberlain Live Results: Updates and Highlights
Published
1 day agoon
August 1, 2026
LIVE COVERAGE
World Boxing News provides live results and updates from Dublin as Pierce O’Leary faces Mark Chamberlain at super lightweight.
Queensberry Promotions returns to the 3Arena with an action-packed card headed by the unbeaten Irish star O’Leary, who meets former British champion Chamberlain in the main event.
The undercard also features Gary Cully, Reece Bellotti, Sean McComb, Steven Cairns, Ben Fail and several unbeaten Irish prospects.
Pierce O’Leary vs Mark Chamberlain Results
Times are Local – IST
17:46
Gary Cully stopped Lee Reeves in the tenth round to improve to 20-2.
Cully overcame a fifth-round point deduction for repeatedly losing his gumshield before dropping Reeves twice in the final round to force the stoppage.
The victory marked Cully’s 11th knockout win as a professional.
17:01
Sean McComb returned with a comfortable six-round points victory over Miguel Antin.
McComb won every round on the referee’s scorecard, claiming a 60-54 decision to improve his record to 22-2.
16:31
Machlan Arthur improved to 2-0 with his second straight knockout by stopping Ryan Frost in the fourth round.
Arthur dropped Frost twice in the final session before the referee waved the contest off at 1:05 of round four.
Remaining Bouts
• Pierce O’Leary vs Mark Chamberlain – IBO World Super Lightweight Title (12)
• Royston Barney-Smith vs Reece Bellotti – Vacant IBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight Title (10)
• Gary Cully vs Lee Reeves – Super Lightweight (10)
• Steven Cairns vs Senan Kelly – Super Lightweight (10)
• Ben Fail vs Craig O’Brien – Super Welterweight (10)
• Bobbi Flood vs Tariq Davis – Super Welterweight (6)
• Adam Olaniyan vs Jonathan Claudio Sauco – Heavyweight (4)
• John Joe Carrigan vs Sean Murray – Super Welterweight (4)
• Sami Hamed vs Bela Istvan Orban – Super Welterweight (4)

Preview
Pierce O’Leary tops a major night of boxing in Dublin as the unbeaten Irishman takes on Mark Chamberlain for the IBO World super lightweight title.
O’Leary enters the contest looking to continue his rise through the rankings against the experienced Chamberlain, who aims to return to winning ways after a draw in his third outing since suffering the lone defeat of his professional career.
The chief support sees Royston Barney-Smith meet Reece Bellotti for the vacant IBO Inter-Continental super featherweight title.
Gary Cully also returns in an intriguing domestic clash with fellow unbeaten Irishman Lee Reeves, while Steven Cairns faces Senan Kelly in another all-Irish encounter.
Sean McComb, Ben Fail, Bobbi Flood, Adam Olaniyan, Machlan Arthur, John Joe Carrigan and Sami Hamed also feature on the Queensberry Promotions card.
Updates will be added below as the action unfolds in Dublin, with more live coverage on World Boxing News.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.
Boxing
Barry McGuigan: Ryan Garcia Faces a Dangerman in Conor Benn at 147 lbs
Published
1 day agoon
August 1, 2026
Hall of Famer Barry McGuigan has named one half of the main event between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn as the “dangerman” at 147lbs.
The two welterweights will collide at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on September 12, with Garcia making a first defence of his WBC world title.
He claimed the belt by dethroning Mario Barrios with a unanimous decision victory in February, which followed his surprising points loss to Rolando Romero in May 2025.
Interestingly enough, this defeat came shortly after his year-long doping ban, which he served on account of testing positive for ostarine ahead of his majority decision victory over Devin Haney.
The result of their showdown was then ruled a no-contest, with Garcia subsequently moving up to welterweight after failing to keep below the 140lb limit.
It now seems the 27-year-old is competing at a more natural weight while Benn, who tested positive for clomifene in 2022, has not made 147lbs since his second-round finish over Chris van Heerden that same year.
Speaking with talkSPORTIrish boxing icon McGuigan suggested that this – as well as the 29-year-old’s technical flaws – could prove a major factor against Garcia.
“[Benn’s] got that genetic code from his dad, and he’s got that explosiveness and everything else. But he is predictable – you can see when he’s going to throw.
“You ask yourself: is Garcia just a little bit too sharp for him? A little bit too cute. I think Garcia’s finally found the weight he’s most suitable [for]. I think he’s a dangerman at 147[lbs].
“Maybe Conor Benn has left it a little too late to make 147[lbs] again. I think that could be his Achilles’ heel. I make Garcia a slight favourite but would never write off Conor Benn – he’s got that fighting heart.”
Benn comes off a unanimous decision victory over Regis Prograis in April, which followed his two middleweight encounters with Chris Eubank Jr last year.
Boxing
Devin Haney Updates Fight Strategy After Keyshawn Davis Withdraws from Title Shot
Published
1 day agoon
August 1, 2026
Devin Haney’s immediate future has been thrown into uncertainty after Keyshawn Davis pulled out of their mandated contest on Friday.
The pair had been ordered to collide for Haney’s WBO world title, with Davis having been named as the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger at 147lbs.
Multiple reports then suggested that the 27-year-old was offered $3m by Top Rank, his promoter, only for ‘The Businessman’ to reject what would have been a career-high payday.
Subsequently, their bout went to a purse bit hearing, where Top Rank trumped Teofimo Lopez’s Takeover Promotions with a sum of $8,550,000.
This therefore gave Bob Arum’s outfit the promotional rights and, as per the usual 75/25 split in favour of the defending champion, Davis would have been entitled to a share of $2,137,500.
Since Thursday’s auction, though, Davis has excluded himself from the fight and left Haney without an obvious opponent for his first welterweight title defence.
Taking to social mediaWBO president Gustavo Olivieri explained that his organisation must now provide their champion with a solution.
“The WBO hereby confirms receipt of written notice from counsel on behalf of Keyshawn Davis advising that he will NOT accept the 25% purse split adjudicated pursuant to the official WBO purse bid proceedings and, accordingly, will NOT participate in the WBO welterweight mandatory championship contest against Devin Haney.
“In light of the foregoing, the WBO Championship Committee and Ratings Committee will convene to proceed in accordance with the WBO world championship rules and regulations. The applicable ruling will be rendered and published in due course.”
Re: WBO Welterweight Participant Keyshawn Davis
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) hereby confirms receipt of written notice from counsel on behalf of Mr. Keyshawn Davis advising that he will NOT accept the 25% purse split adjudicated pursuant to the official WBO purse bid…
— Gustavo Olivieri, Esq. (@OlivieriLaw) July 31, 2026
At this stage, it remains to be seen whether Haney will be immediately ordered to face a new mandatory challenger or, given the situation, have the opportunity to make a voluntary defence.
Either way, the 27-year-old has not fought since dethroning Brian Norman Jr in November and is surely eager to return to action.
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