Belfast’s Lewis Crocker is preparing to thrive in his underdog role ahead of his rematch with Paddy Donovan this week.

The two run back their controversial March fight on Saturday at Windsor Park before an expected crowd of 20,000 fans in the first all-Irish world title fight.

It’s a big deal now, and it was earlier in the year at the Odyssey when Donovan levelled Crocker with a punch after the bell that caused the Limerick man to be disqualified.

Up until then, the fight was all Donovan, but Crocker says the pressure is now off him because a Donovan win is anticipated. 

Crocker said he is entering the fight with confidence. 

“Yeah, for sure,” said the 21-0 (11 KOs) “Croc”.

“I’m the big underdog here. So, I’m more confident this time around than I was last time around. It’s one I’m thriving off, and everything about the next [fight] is going to go my way. “I know that.”

Crocker said the last fight was the worst performance of his career, but the 28-year-old is now focused only on what lies ahead on Saturday and not what transpired on March 1.

“When I look back at that now, I’m a week away from the fight [the rematch], so, that’s way behind me. I don’t know what happened. My vision [with his eyes closing], towards the end, that was the main thing [he was thinking about], you know? Like, I was more focused on trying not to get hit because I couldn’t see, but as I say, things will be different on the 13th.”

Although Donovan pursued a rematch via the IBF – they will fight for the vacant IBF welterweight title that Jaron Ennis surrendered – Donovan praised Crocker for his willingness to fight him again. Despite the controversial climax of their first fight, there is no grudge between the two. If anything, there is a healthy dose of mutual respect.

“Yeah, for sure. Like, I was, like, the first on the phone to Jamie Conlan the next day, my manager, and I says, ‘Get the rematch made.’ Like, that’s the fight I needed, there’s no other fight that I want; and I think we both deserve the rematch. So, obviously, we’ve shared the ring together, and I’ve always said he's probably a great fighter. So, obviously, there’s mutual respect there, but we’ll be going for it on the 13th.”

In the aftermath of the last bout, Crocker vacationed in Thailand, but he said he did not dwell on his performance, the outcome, and he paid little mind to the appeal as Team Donovan petitioned the IBF.

“A couple of days [after], and I was fighting [training] again, you know, like. It’s not like anyone died, you know what I mean? It’s like, life goes on. Like, why dwell on that? As much as, were giving me, like, bad shit, on Instagram and stuff, or, like, social media, I was just like, ‘I don’t care about your opinion right now.’ Do you know what I mean? Boxing’s a hard sport. It’s me who’s doing all this, so I knew the rematch would be made anyway. Here we are, so, everything was irrelevant. Like, why dwell on the past?”

Donovan had been distraught by losing his unbeaten record and was in floods of tears after being disqualified.
Did Crocker feel bad for him? 

“No, I had no sympathy,” he said.