Eddie Hearn on claims Paddy Donovan was robbed in Lewis Crocker fight
The Matchroom promoter also poured cold water on the possibility of a trilogy fight between the two
Eddie Hearn has rejected suggestions that Paddy Donovan was robbed in his defeat to Lewis Crocker, who claimed the vacant IBF welterweight title in Belfast on Saturday night.
The Matchroom promoter also played down talk of a potential trilogy fight between the pair, despite their historic meeting as the first all-Irish world title bout.
Crocker earned a split decision win in front of a jubilant 20,000-strong crowd at Windsor Park, after their first encounter in March ended with Donovan’s disqualification for striking after the eighth-round bell.
This time the Limerick boxer was left distraught as two of the three judges went with Crocker in a closely fought contest that lacked the intensity of the first, but in which the 28-year-old twice knocked Donovan to the canvas.
Online, boxing fans disputed the decision in strong terms but Hearn claimed it was a fair result. "Really difficult to score," he said, adding that he felt Crocker won the second, sixth and 12th rounds, along with the 10-8 results for the two rounds when Donovan took a standing count.
"That's 114-13 to Lewis Crocker. But the 12th round could have gone either way, the second round was very tight and there were other tight rounds.
"I was shocked that a lot of the score zone, where he had a couple of fighters, had Donovan up by a few after nine or 10 and I'm thinking, I can't see how that's actually physically possible.
"Donovan did win a lot of rounds - but after the two knockdowns, it's a really tough fight to win from there. If he (Crocker) lost by a point, he certainly wouldn't be saying this is a joke. He would say, 'well, I nicked it, but I understand it can go either way'. So, a point either way. Maybe I can see Paddy Donovan by a point.
"It's just a lot of those rounds, not a lot happened. If you like the more eye-catching shots, they come from Lewis Crocker. Paddy boxed really well. He's a great fighter. But to be honest, when I got in the ring, I had absolutely no idea (who won)."
Crocker was immediately linked to a fight with Conor Benn after his win but Hearn will assess other opportunities too. A trilogy fight may happen, but not in the near future. "At the end of the day if Paddy wins tonight, he's looking for the big fights and the most lucrative opportunities," said Hearn.
"And the rematch is a big fight of the trilogy, but it's not as big as some of the other opportunities out there. So, I think Paddy will get his shot again. We'll make sure we give him big fights."
Hearn stressed that Crocker had to make his first defence count in financial terms. "This is the opportunity to secure your future financially forever," he said.
"Tonight was a nice payday, the last one was a decent payday and then the plan now is to make sure that you can buy your house and you can have a great life."
Apart from Benn, Hearn suggested there could be a unification fight against Devin Haney, if he beats Brian Norman junior, or Rolly Romero. Teofimo Lopez would be another big name opponent in Belfast.
"But obviously with Lewis and Conor being part of Matchroom, it's an easy fight to make," he said. "We had one more stand to do tonight and we'd certainly do that and some for a Conor Benn fight."