Paddy Donovan has lodged an appeal with the IBF in an attempt to force a rematch with Lewis Crocker, following the controversial conclusion to their fight on March 1.

The welterweight contest, an eliminator for the IBF title held by Jaron “Boots” Ennis, ended with Donovan being disqualified by the referee Marcus McDonnell at the end of the eighth round.

Ireland’s Donovan, 26, led 67-65, 69-63 and 69-63 on the judges’ scorecards at the time of McDonnell’s intervention. Crocker, of Belfast, Northern Ireland – it was at the city’s SSE Arena that they fought – had been cut by both eyes from punches, and also knocked down in the eighth round. Donovan had also had a point deducted in the sixth and eighth rounds for use of the head; he was disqualified having landed a right hand after the bell.

Donovan’s appeal has been received by the IBF, who await the 28-year-old Crocker’s response. The sanctioning body is yet to organise a date for the appeal hearing.

On April 12 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Ennis enters a unification contest with the WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis, of Lithuania.