On the undercard of the May 25 boxing card headlined by the Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall rematch, undefeated welterweight Paddy Donovan delivered on his high expectations to improve to 14-0.
In the featured bout, Donovan earned a standing TKO of Lewis Ritson to retain the WBA continental welterweight title. The two young fighters engaged in sparing trash talk during the week leading up to the fight, culminating with a heated face-off at the event weigh-ins. Ultimately, it would be Donovan getting the last laugh of the two on the evening.
Paddy Donovan Gets a TKO Finish of Lewis Ritson
𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖑 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖑 🔥@PaddyDonovan23 breaks down and stops Lewis Ritson in round nine 😮💨#DonovanRitson #TaylorCatterall2 pic.twitter.com/F5kuDwMRcH
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) May 25, 2024
In the fight preceding the co-main event, Paddy Donovan entered his matchup with Lewis Ritson as one of the biggest betting favorites of the card. With a 13-0 record heading into the fight, ‘The Real Deal’ was priced as around a 15-1 favorite on most sportsbooks.
The first five rounds were largely uneventful, with Ritson immediately pushing forward to pressure the Irishman and Donovan being content to walk backward. Ritson fought behind a tight high guard for the duration of the bout while Donovan continuously backed himself against the ropes, struggling to break through his opponent’s defense.
Neither fighter amounted much offense through the first six rounds, though the action would pick up in round seven as Ritson appeared to fatigue. Donovan found himself able to land cleaner and more often while being the aggressor and turning the tables by forcing Ritson against the ropes.
The eighth round was the most dominant, with Donovan landing 36 punches to just 11 from Ritson, per Compubox. Nearly the entire three-minute frame was spent with Donovan trapping Ritson in his own corner, unloading power shots to the head and body.
The ninth round would last just 32 seconds as Donovan continued where he left off, pouring relentless punishment onto a wilting Ritson. The referee would intervene to give the 25-year-old a standing TKO finish.
What is next for Paddy Donovan?
To begin the day on May 25, WBA had Paddy Donovan ranked as its 11th-best welterweight and divisional continental champion. His opponent on the evening, Lewis Ritson, was unranked, thus leading to him being a heavy favorite.
The win over Ritson likely does not move Donovan up the 147-pound ladder, but after his fifth straight TKO victory, fans are pushing for an increase in competition for the young prodigy.
The welterweight division is one that features several prominent names and stars, including undisputed champion Terence Crawford, who is rated as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world by most media sites. IBF champion Jaron Ennis also remains a premiere name in the sport along with top contenders Errol Spence Jr. and Conor Benn.
But for as much star power as the welterweight division holds, like most divisions in modern boxing, the weight class remains top-heavy, with few rising prospects receiving mainstream attention.
As one of the many viewers in attendance for the event in Leeds, WBO inter-continental welterweight champion Lewis Crocker sat ring-side and accepted an interview on the DAZN broadcast during Donovan’s fight. Both Donovan and Crocker are from Ireland with continental belts, making many suspect a fight between the two could be on the horizon.
Crocker is currently scheduled to face Conah Walker on June 22 in Birmingham but has already entertained the idea of facing his countryman in the near future.
About the Author
Jaren Kawada is a freelance sports writer from Indianapolis, Indiana with a strong passion for MMA and sports betting. Kawada has also written for Sportskeeda MMA, FanSided MMA, and BetSided as a combat sports analyst. Follow on X/Twitter at @jarenkawada1.
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