ERIC DONOVAN’S 30-YEAR journey in boxing culminated in a thrilling EU featherweight title victory over Frenchman Khalil El Hadri [now 13-2, 7KOs] at Belfast’s Europa Hotel.
A sensational contest, which was broadcast live on TG4, was taken by Donovan [16-2, 8KOs] on all three judges’ scorecards but the Athy man was forced to walk through hell in order to have his hand raised after 12 rounds.
The Parisian’s team visibly protested the unanimous verdict of what was certainly a close fight, while the bruised and bloodied Donovan collapsed to his knees in celebration.
‘Lilywhite Lightning’ was a latecomer to the pros after a glittering amateur career in which he won five Irish Elite titles and bronze medals at both the European and EU Championships. His sole aim as a professional was to win a continental title of some description and he was visibly emotional as he wrapped the belt around his waist, flanked by his wife Laura and sons Troy and Jack.
Thirty years in the game, give or take. A rocky old road. Eric Donovan kept the faith pic.twitter.com/r5CyNbvnYJ
— Kevin Byrne (@KevByrneBox) September 24, 2022
A cagey opening couple of rounds in Belfast were probably shared before Donovan took the third convincingly, his hand speed — even at 37 — troubling El Hadri’s defence.
El Hari roared back in the fourth, however, and amid some vicious French-led exchanges, Donovan slumped onto the ropes and was given a count despite not touching the canvas. That made it a 10-8 round in El Hadri’s favour and suddenly, the complexion of the bout looked very different.
Five and six were tight and Donovan was cut in the latter as he sought to keep pace with El Hadri, 10 years his junior. The Irishman found plenty of his own success in the sixth but was also rocked by a short right counter.
Donovan took a quieter seventh, while a tight eighth saw El Hadri land plenty with spite.
Nine was a barnburner, Donovan finally backing up El Hadri with a sustained assault after the Frenchman had begun the sharper. It felt like an important stand for Donovan, but he had to make an even bigger one in the 10th.
El Hadri beat him around the ring for three minutes, Donovan showing tremendous heart not only to survive but to fire back from wobbly legs where possible. Bloodied, bruised and undeterred, Lilywhite Lightning entered the championship rounds which would ultimately decide the contest.
He managed the 11th the better of the pair, edging it with a stronger finish. The 12th, too, was filled with more tension than action. Both men were exhausted, and both made it to the final bell confident that they had done enough to win.
The three judges scored the contest 115-113, 114-113 and 115-112 to Donovan, the latter too wide in what was a razor-tight, absorbing back-and-forth.
The French protested, the Irish rejoiced. Perhaps the two men in the middle will do it again at some point, should Donovan decide to box on. But this fight and victory will be a fitting way to remember the 11th-hour professional leg of his boxing story.
Earlier, in Manchester, Belfast’s Anthony Cacace earned the best victory of his own career as he outfoxed and out-gunned the relentless Michael Magnesi in an entertaining super-featherweight contest.
116-112
— #JoyceParker on BT Sport 🥊 (@BTSportBoxing) September 24, 2022
112-116
117-111
Anthony Cacace defeats Michael Magnesi via split decision! 🏆
"It was a good performance, but he's even better than that believe it or not. That's just a wee bit of what he can do!" - @RealCFrampton#JoyceParker pic.twitter.com/u8MCfJoudv
Cacace, 33, has long been considered one of Ireland’s most talented boxers but also one of its most unlucky, his career habitually stalled by injuries and various other goings-on.
‘Anto’ improved his record to 20-1, 7KOs as he earned a split decision over the previously undefeated Italian Magnesi [21-1, 13KOs].
In truth, the sole judge who saw the contest in Magnesi’s favour had a shocker: Cacace more than withstood the savage challenge of his opponent, an excellent all-round boxing performance proving his credentials at the top end of a division in which two of the world-title belts were recently vacated by American Shakur Stevenson.
