Irish welterweight Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (11-0, 8 KOs) will fight English champion Danny Ball (13-1-1, 6 KOs) in a ten-round bout on November 25th. Donovan, age 24, will be showcased ahead of the rematch betweeen undisputed world junior welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron (18-0) vs. wrold lightweight champion Katie Taylor (21-1), streaming on DAZN PPV live from 3Arena in Dublin. Donovan said, “I know Katie Taylor extremely well; I was her sparring partner when I was 15. She’s one of the nicest people, not just in boxing, I’ve ever met. She’s never forgotten my name. She’s even come to train with me and Andy in Dublin a few times before fights.”
Fighting out of Limerick, Ireland, Donovan is trained in Dublin by former WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee (35-3-1, 24 KOs), whose cousin is unbeaten WBC heavyweight champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury. Because of his relationship with Lee, Donovan has benefited from training with Fury and “The Gypsy King” is mighty high on his fellow Irish Traveller, Paddy. “I think Paddy Donovan is one of the stars of the future,” Fury told the Irish Mirror. “He’s definitely the biggest prospect in Irish boxing at the moment. He’s a very, very talented young fighter and he’s had a lot of amateur experience. He can punch hard, and he has got the boxing IQ, He’s had great tutelage with my cousin, Andy Lee. I think he’s going all the way.”
“It meant so much to me when Tyson said that I’m going to be a world champion,” Donovan added. “They call him “The Gypsy King” and in Ireland, they call me “The Gypsy Prince.”
Donovan, who was born in Ennis in County Clare, is a slick southpaw with power in both hands, who represented Ireland at the 2016 World Youth Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia. As an amateur (65-12), Donovan was a two-time Irish National Champion, as well as the 2017 International Tournament, Haringey Youth gold medalist in London.
In 2019, Donovan turned pro, stopping Arturo Lopez in the opening round of their clash in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which was scheduled for six rounds. Paddy’s last action was this past May, in which he knocked out 17-4-1 Sam O’Maison in round eight.
Donovan’s fight versus Ball will be Paddy’s first scheduled 10-rounder. “My opponent is a hard hitter who is the English champion,” Donovan added. “He’s won his last three fights in a row. I’ll open boxing, coming forward counter-punching, and then get the knockout.”
New York City-based attorney Keith Sullivan represented Lee and the two co-manage Donovan. “I think Paddy has all the tools to be world champion,” Sullivan said. “all he really needs is time, top-level experience and opportunities. It’s great working again with Andy Lee, who has developed into a first-class boxing trainer. His boxing experience is helpful for a young boxer like Paddy.”
Donovan is a proponent of suicide prevention and mental health awareness. He is using this fight platform to promote Pieta, which is a suicide prevention charity providing mental health services throughout Ireland. Paddy has lost two relatives to suicide, and he has dedicated his upcoming fight to mental health awareness. Lee and Sullivan have also felt the pain of suicide by close relations. The Pietra Crisis Helpline, 1-800-247-247, offers crisis intervention support, 24 hours a day 365 days a year, to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or engaging in self-harm and also supports those bereaved through suicide.
