Paddy Donovan insists he is not “underestimating” Tyrone McKenna before they meet at Croke Park on Saturday with a second crack at world honours on the horizon.
Donovan bounced back from his first title defeat by Lewis Crocker with an impressive victory over Karen Chukhadzhian in May to return to the mandatory slot for the IBF welterweight title held by Australia’s Liam Paro.
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The Limerick man is aware of the risks in taking a fight in the interim, but felt this was too good an opportunity to turn down and plans to put on a show to elevate his status.
He and McKenna have sparred countless rounds over the years and the 27-year-old, whose record is 15 wins with two defeats, feels he is a level above his fellow southpaw.
“It’s risky to take the fight being number one with the IBF but I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to fight in front of 80,000 Irish fans,” Donovan said at Thursday’s news conference.
“We want to bring big shows back to Ireland when Katie’s gone and I’m going to be the guy to do it.
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“I’m not underestimating you [McKenna], I’ve a job to do so I’ll beat you and move onto becoming a world champion, but you’re first and I’ll deal with you good and proper.”
McKenna ‘coming’ for Donovan
Veteran McKenna [25-6-1] has lost two of his last four fights after reversing a decision to retire following his own defeat by Crocker in 2023.
However, the Belfast man is not content to play the role of gatekeeper and set up camp in Philadelphia – where he spent an early part of his career – to work in ‘The Dungeon’ gym of Derrick ‘Bozy’ Ennis – father of undefeated two-division champion Jaron ‘Boots’.
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“To bring a west Belfast man to north Philly is a dangerous combination,” said the 36-year-old.
“This is the most I’ve sparred in a camp, in a world-class gym surrounded by world champions and world-class fighters. The coaching has been world-class, so I’ve done everything for this fight.
“I think Paddy is overlooking me as all I hear is ‘Liam Paro, Lewis Crocker’, but you [Donovan] have to get your mind right because I’m coming for you.”
Heavyweights Allen and Carty fight on the chief support slot [Getty Images]
Chief support on Saturday is a heavyweight contest between Dave Allen [27-9-2] and Thomas Carty [11-1].
Doncaster’s Allen admits his ambitions of fighting for top honours are over following May’s defeat by newly-crowned IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic.
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However, he has bounced back with a pair of routine wins and feels he remains a “proper handful” at his level.
“After the Hrgovic fight, all of the feeling for boxing left me,” the 34-year-old revealed.
“I’m not trying to resurrect any run for titles, I’m just here to fight but if you’re not very good, I’ll flatten you.”
Carty once had aspirations to play Gaelic football for Dublin at Croke Park, but on Saturday he will realise something of a dream when boxing at the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association.
His sole defeat came at Madison Square Garden in March 2025 when suffering an ACL injury against Dajuan Calloway, but the 30-year-old southpaw feels he is “probably better now than what I was before” the injury.
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Another Dubliner, Emmet Brennan, will make the 500-metre journey from his house to Croke Park to face fellow unbeaten super-middleweight Taylor Bevan with added incentive of double pay by Brian Peters, who represents Bevan, should he prevail.
Family affair for McCann
Meanwhile, MMA convert Molly McCann continues her boxing journey against Sylwia Doligala.
McCann, who has won all four of her bouts since making the switch to professional boxing, is a relative of headliner Katie Taylor with her late grandmother a great-aunt of the Bray woman – and she recounted her own early struggles to find acceptance in the boxing world.
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“I remember walking into a boxing gym and was turned away as I was a girl,” said the 36-year-old Liverpudlian.
“[I] then started boxing at the Golden Gloves gym and my coach brought in a camcorder, told me to watch this girl and lo and behold, it was Katie.
“I was like ‘oh my God, I want to be like that’, and 20 years later here we are. It’s not lost on me how many girls would kill to be in this position, so it’s an honour and privilege.”
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