Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan debated the controversial ending of their first fight ahead of a rematch for the vacant IBF welterweight world title at Windsor Park later this year.
The duo came face to face at the home of Northern Irish football today with thousands of tickets being snapped up by fans, with the hope of over 20,000 in attendance for the first ever world title fight between two Irish boxers on 13 September.
Amid a largely pro-Crocker crowd at the press conference in Belfast, Donovan said that the pain of losing by disqualification has now evaporated by the chance to become a world champion on an historic night for Irish boxing.
He accused Crocker of having feigned a knockout after the bell which led to the DQ, something the home team vehemently denied.
Donovan, who was occasionally silenced by the passionate home supporters, said: "It couldn't have panned out any better for me. I’m happy to be back in Belfast. I’m ready to seize this opportunity and do a number on Lewis.
"Obviously I was winning every single round and I was in a comfortable position. The only way for Lewis to get the win, and no disrespect, was taking a dive.
"The preparation is going top class and I’m ready to put on a demolition performance.
"After the last fight the confidence I have is only growing. I will get the knockout this time in better fashion."
The Limerick man said he will not be intimidated by having a minority of fans in Belfast, having already faced the scenario in their original meeting at the SSE Arena.
He said: "This is my sixth time in Belfast. I know it's not my home city, but the fans has been amazing.
"They've followed me since 2019.
"To be back here again is an amazing opportunity for me, I'm ready and I'm waiting. I want to see the best Lewis Crocker. I want to be the best Paddy Donovan. We want to put on the best fight for this crowd. And that's exactly what will happen."
Crocker acknowledged he has to find a new level to try to beat Donovan, having been seconds from defeat before the DQ in their first clash.
He was adamant that he was knocked out by the punch after the bell, but said his overall focus was on making a second bout and now trying to dig deep to cause an upset.
"It doesn't get any bigger, especially considering the last fight," Crocker said.
"I agreed with the decision to disqualify Paddy but I also agree that there should be a rematch. Nobody wanted the fight to end like that, including myself.
"The next day, I said 'let's get that rematch sorted'. There was no opponent in my mind other than Paddy. I know I’m a lot better fighter than what I showed. And everything's worked out.
"To be fighting for a world title in Windsor Park, it’s the stuff I've dreamed of as a kid. It's everything I've ever wanted.
"I have to be better. But I've said from the start, Paddy's a great fighter and he showed it in the last fight. I have to put on the performance of my life to win on 13 September and there's no better time and place to do it.
"I’m a massive underdog in this fight now. Nobody is expecting me to win. The first fight [was predicted] as 50-50 by the general public. To pull of a win is the stuff of dreams too."
Donovan’s trainer Andy Lee feels the fight will mark the breakout of a new star for Irish boxing, in the name of his fighter: "What a moment for Irish boxing. Days like these do not come around often.
"This is the start of the crowning of a new Irish champion. There's only a handful of them from this island.
"You can count them on two hands in recent years and Paddy is going to be be the next one.
"He has got the ability not just to win this world title, but to defend it multiple times and put his name among those superstars in the division.
"I believe it’ll be a lot closer this time with Lewis but Paddy will be ready.
"I said before the first fight and nobody believed me that Paddy is a guy who will go on and on through the levels of boxing and will go down as one of the best fighters in Irish history. It is just the start for him."
In Crocker's corner, Billy Nelson wants to see his unbeaten man turn it around: "We're both really looking forward to redeeming ourselves.
"Andy Lee and Paddy both know that wasn't [the best] Lewis Crocker in the ring that night. Paddy boxed extremely well in the first fight but he fouled on multiple occasions.
"What is done is done. We move on and to have two Irish guys fighting for a world title, it is an unbelievable occasion."
