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Risk Worth Taking For IBF No. 1 World Welterweight
Contender Paddy Donovan On Sept. 5 In Dublin
International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 1 world
welterweight contender Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan isn’t
concerned about risking his mandatory challenger position on
September 5th against Tyrone “The Mighty Celt” McKenna
(25-6-1, 8 KOs), of Belfast, in a 10-round encounter on
Irish boxing icon Katie Taylor’s farewell fight card, “Once
Upon a Time,” at famed Croke Park in Dublin.
Limerick-based Donovan (15-2-1, 11 KOs), who is the
mandatory challenger for reigning IBF World Welterweight
Champion Liam Paro, and McKenna are in the lone All-Irish
fight on the main card, which will be streamed live
worldwide on DAZN.
More than 80,000 fans will attend the first professional
boxing event held at Croke Park in 54 years, since Muhammad
Ali knocked out Alvin Lewis in the 11th round of their
heavyweight fight there. Donovan vs. McKenna represents the
first All-Irish match-up on the main card at Croke Park in a
century, when promoter Jim Rice held a pro boxing event
there on July 10, 1926.
“Some may say it’s a risky fight for me as once again being
ranked No. 1 by the IBF,” Donovan explained, “but I’m a
hungry fighter and I want to stay active. That’s why I train
a lot. I’ve dedicated my life to boxing and when you do that
the only thing you want to do is fight. Right now, Paro
hasn’t decided what’s next for him. While I wait on Paro’s
decision, I want to keep active and fighting Tyrone McKenna
in front of 80,000 fans sounds splendid.
“It feels great to be No. 1 again in the IBF. My two fights
with Lewis Crocker were crackers and very controversial, and
two hard fights in his backyard. I then worked very hard in
the gym and took on a very tough Karen Chukhadzhian, from
Ukraine, who is one of the best welterweights in the world.
I fought him in his backyard as well, in Germany, scored two
knockdowns and I won the fight quite comfortably in our
title eliminator. I earned the No. 1 ranking the hard way.
“This isn’t over! We’re going to continue this story and I
will become champion of the world. After the incredible
journey I’ve had over the last couple of years, it’ll be a
beautiful way to top it off by becoming world champion.”
After his two controversial losses to Crocker, in which he
was disqualified in the first encounter and lost a split
decision in the second, Donovan credits his team, especially
head trainer/co-manager Andy Lee, the former world
middleweight champion from Limerick, and New York City
lawyer and co-manager Keith Sullivan, for getting him back
on the verge of fighting for another world title.
“It’s been an honor training with Andy Lee over the years
and getting to know him on a personal basis,” Donovan said.
“Andy has helped me so much more than I can explain. He’s
been like a father figure to me. I started my career with
Andy when I was 19 and I will finish my career with Andy;
he’s the first and will be the last for me. It takes many
years for a coach to understand the fighter, but it also
takes many years for a fighter to understand the coach.
Without Andy, I wouldn’t be fighting and he has helped me so
much in more ways than one.
“And I don’t want to forget my manager, Keith Sullivan, for
all his legal work that he did after the first and then the
second fight with Crocker to got me in position for a world
title eliminator after two defeats. There is no other
manager in boxing who has done what he’s done for me. Keith
is one of the best boxing managers in the world, if not the
best, and I’m so happy to have met Keith. He came into my
life at the perfect time and he has changed it for the
better, not just for his legal or managerial work, but on a
personal level as a friend. He has looked into my personal
life and helped me along the way to make me a better person.
I can’t thank him enough for that.
“I’ve met two special people in my life, Andy Lee and Keith
Sullivan, and without them the dream to become World
Champion wouldn’t be possible. I know they say it’s the
fighter who risks it all by putting it on the line, but
without a team and people that want the best for you, none
of this would be possible. Keith and Andy want the best for
me and that’s what makes me feel I can become world
champion.”
“Anytime you have a fighter in the number one spot and they
are on the brink of reaching the promised land of becoming a
world champion,” Sullivan added, “it's a tremendous risk to
take any other fight. Paddy insisted he wanted an All-Irish
crack-up in Croke Park before 80,000. He wouldn't accept any
advice to the contrary. For him, risking the title shot was
worth it because this was all about Irish boxing legacy and
giving the Irish fans a great entertaining night of boxing
in their homeland. As always, his professionalism and
commitment to the sport and fans impress me.”
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