BELFAST – It has been seven years since Carl Frampton last created the feeling of electricity that surged through the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. That night, he scored one of his best wins, defeating Nonito Donaire, who had by then typically won over the Belfast crowd with his Filipino charm – even as they still yearned for another famous Frampton victory.

Those heady days, with Frampton headlining the arena more than half a dozen times, could be breathed back into life by Lewis Crocker – who boxed on the Frampton-Donaire undercard and is a self-admitted Frampton fan – when he fights Paddy Donovan on Saturday night.

“Frampton was my guy,” Crocker told BoxingScene. “Been to every one of his fights. I watched him lift the world title here, went to the [Scott] Quigg fight [in Manchester] and stuff, so Frampton was the main man – always will be Ireland's best male boxer.

“So people comparing it to Frampton nights is surreal for me. Frampton was just a humble guy. One of the good guys, proper professional. The results he had, he was the first one to beat [Leo] Santa Cruz, two-weight world champion, almost three. Had so many big fights, he brought boxing massive to Belfast again. It gave me a lot of opportunities and other boxers, like the fighters on his cards and stuff.”

Crocker boxed at the SSE not only on the undercard of Frampton-Donaire but also the night Frampton fought Horacio Garcia at the same venue.

Frampton won’t be ringside on Saturday – he is working the show in Bournemouth, England, with Ryan Garner for TNT Sports – but it seems the rest of Ireland will be.
“It’s going to be electric in the place,” Crocker said. “I’ve obviously been to the SSE a lot of times as a fan and boxing. The atmosphere is always second to none, so I know what to expect and I expect a rowdy crowd on Saturday.”

It has been down to Crocker’s father to handle the demand for tickets. Crocker trains in Scotland with coach Billy Nelson, so his dad has been doing the ticket runs. But it has not always been that way. “The Crock” built his own base, shifting his own tickets personally.

“From the start, like, do you know what I mean?” Crocker said. “Just people from the community coming to watch me fight, and then I got the opportunities to headline in Belfast and then it just got gradually, gradually bigger. And then a good dance partner in Paddy Donovan on Saturday, you know, we’ve sold out the SSE.”

At stake is a shot at the IBF welterweight title currently held by Jaron Ennis.

Crocker is 20-0 (11 KOs) and seen as the puncher. Donovan is slick, tricky, a southpaw, and big things have been expected of him since he turned over. Does Crocker think Donovan has much more to offer than he has already shown as a pro?

“We’re going to find out on Saturday, you know?” Crocker said with a smile. “They say this guy’s a superstar and I’m a domestic-level fighter, so do you know what I mean? We shall see.

“I have the better resume, I have the more wins, I’m the more experienced fighter. I’ve ticked more boxes and stuff, so it’s good that they think that, anyway.”

There have been many boxing greats from this island, from both the south and north, from Rinty Monaghan and Barry McGuigan to Steve Collins and Frampton. Belfast has also had its fair share of world-class talent, factoring in the likes of Damaen Kelly and Brian Magee.

Should Saturday’s winner move on to box for the title thought to soon be vacated by Ennis, a vacant championship fight could be in order – and at home. And with the title snared, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said it would be ample currency to negotiate fights with the division’s bigger names, including the likes of Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez Jnr.

“[That’s] surreal, almost, because you’re like watching them guys in the big fights, you’re staying up late [because of the time difference] with them, and now you’re in the mix with them, you know what I mean? And that’s the sort of fights that you want and you need in boxing, and obviously with Matchroom and Eddie [Hearn] and Frank [Smith] and stuff, it’s in touching distance.” 

And while Crocker will be happy to delight his home fans on Saturday, like Frampton, he would not mind seeing his name up in lights in Las Vegas or fighting in Madison Square Garden.

“To get a world title fight over here would be a dream of mine, and as I compare it to Frampton, he won the IBF title here, so following his footsteps would be amazing,” Crocker said, before adding he would happily take his fans on the road.

“Oh, absolutely, I’d go to them all. I'll travel, fight anyone, anywhere, anytime, so yeah, I'm good.”

But first comes Donovan. Promoter Hearn said Donovan needs to be able to keep up his best work for the duration of the whole fight. Crocker admits Donovan is the best he has faced to date.

“Yeah, on paper, yeah, for sure,” he said. “I always said Paddy was a good fighter, so I’ve prepared for my toughest fight.”

Does he think Donovan can be at his best for 12 rounds? 

“We’ll soon find out,” said Crocker.

Tris Dixon covered his first amateur boxing fight in 1996. The former editor of Boxing News, he has written for a number of international publications and newspapers, including GQ and Men’s Health, and is a board member for the Ringside Charitable Trust and the Ring of Brotherhood. He has been a broadcaster for TNT Sports and hosts the popular “Boxing Life Stories” podcast. Dixon is a British Boxing Hall of Famer, an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, is on The Ring ratings panel and is the author of five boxing books, including “Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Trauma in Boxing” (shortlisted for the William Hill Sportsbook of the Year), “Warrior: A Champion’s Search for His Identity” (shortlisted for the Sunday Times International Sportsbook of the Year) and “The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxing’s Wastelands.” You can reach him @trisdixon on X and Instagram.