Windsor Park in play for Crocker-Donovan rematch

BBC News

a day ago

Windsor Park, Northern Ireland's National Football Stadium, remains in contention to host boxing's rematch between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan.Saturday, 20 September is the tentative date with background talks ongoing between the promoter, Irish Football Association and Northern Ireland's Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, to turn the stadium into a boxing arena for the first time since Carl Frampton defeated Luke Jackson in August 2018.It is understood there is a desire on all sides to make this a reality, but it will be determined by the bottom line and that is to ensure the show can deliver financially.A meeting is scheduled on Thursday with Lyons and later in the month with the Irish FA, who are keen to host the event.It's understood that a crowd of circa 16,000 would be required to break even, with the first fight between the pair at Belfast's SSE Arena in March drawing in 8000.On that occasion, Limerick's Donovan fell to his first career defeat against Belfast's Crocker by way of disqualification, despite dominating the contest, which was billed as a final eliminator for Jaron 'Boots' Ennis' IBF welterweight title.
The US-based sanctioning body ordered a rematch between the pair in May, having somewhat sided with the Donovan's team's protest their man - despite having points deducted in rounds six and eight - was harshly treated when finally thrown out bey referee Marcus McDonnell for persistent fouls, culminating with heavy blows landed after the bell in round nine. Their desire to have the initial fight ruled as a no-contest was not granted.Either way, there has been a desire on all sides to run it back, and that is certainly set to happen, but the where and when is still to be decided.In the aftermath of their first meeting, Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport's boss and promoter of both fighters, indicated an interest in moving the rematch outdoors, but that came with the caveat of it making financial sense.There is, of course, precedent for the NI Executive to bolster an outdoor megafight, as in September 2013, it rowed in behind Carl Frampton's IBF super-bantamweight title win over Kiko Martinez with a purpose-built, 16,000 stadium erected at Titanic Slipways.That night bolstered the local economy by millions and although this event is not on such a scale, it would prove a huge shot in the arm.Although it is uncertain whether Ennis will vacate his title and step up to light-middleweight by autumn, the winner could be set with the task of taking on the American for a portion of the title from one of boxing's marquee divisions or indeed, win the vacant strap.