Lewis Crocker beats Paddy Donovan by split decision to become IBF world welterweight champion

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BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Lewis Crocker earned a split-decision win over Paddy Donovan to become IBF world welterweight champion in his hometown on Saturday night.

The Northern Irishman dropped the Limerick southpaw in the third and fifth rounds at Windsor Park and hung on as Donovan recovered to control the second half of the 12-round bout.

Two judges scored it for Crocker — 114-112 and 114-113 — and the third judge had it 115-111 for Donovan.

“Nobody gave me a chance in this fight,” the 28-year-old Crocker said. “I wasn't the one in trouble tonight.”

The fight was billed by DAZN as the first all-Irish world title fight. Crocker (22-0, 11 KOs) represented Ireland as an amateur.

The pair fought six months ago when the 26-year-old Donovan (14-2, 11 KOs) was disqualified when he dropped Crocker with a punch after the eighth-round bell.

The first bout had been to become mandatory challenger to Jaron “Boots” Ennis, but the American vacated the title to move up a division, so the rematch — granted by the IBF after Donovan appealed — was upgraded to a world title fight.

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AP boxing: https://apnews.com/hub/boxing