With four hotly anticipated domestic clashes and two championships on the line, JB Promotions’ ‘A New Dawn’ looks set to be a thrilling night of action at the home of Irish boxing.
Headlining is a clash of two former amateur standouts in the form of Paul Ryan versus Edward Donovan, with both boxers bidding to avenge recent defeats and reignite their careers.
Donovan (7-1) is a former Youth European champion and returns to the ring off the back of an unsatisfactory decision when fighting for the Boxing Union of Ireland (BUI) Celtic title at the 3Arena last September.
Then, following a clash of heads with opponent Craig O’Brien, the contest was stopped in the sixth of a scheduled eight rounds and a decision coming from the judges’ scorecards at the time.
O’Brien got the nod on a split verdict and the outcome still grates but the brother of recent world title challenger Paddy Donovan is looking to atone with a victory on Friday night.
He said: “I was really warming into the fight when the clash happened, and felt I was very much in control, so that was obviously very disappointing.
“No disrespect to Paul but he has been tested on the big stage and failed in a very heavy manner. I think I’m on the way up and he is declining, and I’ll show that to everyone on Friday night.”
For his part, Ryan (8-2) returns from a knockout defeat at the WBC Middleweight Grand Prix in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last time and comes into Friday with a point to prove.
Ryan feels as though his two defeats have been character building, and will use them as learning experiences from the heat of battle in Friday’s main event.
He said: “The setbacks I’ve faced are just small bumps in the road — not so much setbacks as lessons learned. I’m grateful for them now because I’ve grown from those experiences.
“Coming off the loss, I need this win, and when I get it, I’ll be in a great position to move on and fight for titles in the new year.”
On the undercard are two huge Irish title fights, with a Munster clash between Kerry’s Kevin Cronin (10-3-1) and undefeated Cork man Cathal Crowley (7-0).
For Irish boxing purists, this has the potential to be a fight of the year as all-action Cronin faces off against his Munster foe, with the national super middleweight strap on the line.
Cronin brings big domestic-fight experience to the table, having squared off twice with both former Olympian Emmet Brennan and Jamie Morrissey – experience he feels can swing the outcome in his favour.
He said: “Those fights will benefit me in a way, but I’ll win this fight simply because I’m better than Cathal. People haven’t seen the best side of me; it’s time to start turning it on in fights and not just in the gym.
Cathal Crowley
“It is 100 per cent my time but I win this one because, as I said, I’m just simply better!
“Cathal’s a good fighter, he has plenty of strengths and he brings a bit more aggression than the likes of Jamie and Emmet. But I’m a lot different right now than I was in those fights.
“Cathal at his best is a good fighter. I respect that, but his best won’t cut it, I would beat them all now.
Undefeated super welterweights Daniel O’Sullivan (6-0) and multiple amateur national champion Dean Walsh (4-0) go toe-to-toe in an intriguing clash of style for the Irish title over 10 rounds.
O’Sullivan has already in his short professional career captured the BUI Celtic Super Welterweight and Middleweight titles, having beaten Sean Murray and Peter Carr respectively, and feels that experience of the white heat of battle gives him the advantage over Walsh.
He said: “Yes, I feel that will be a big advantage as I know exactly what it feels like going into a big domestic fight. The nerves are different and you question yourself more than previous fights as this is the big step up into the limelight.
“Dean was a great amateur and has a lot of experience behind him but they are two different sports. I was never suited for the amateurs – my style has always been for the professionals – and he is the opposite.
“I think that around the halfway point is when I will start to take over. I’m under no illusions that the first few rounds will be where he shines, but 10 rounds is a long, long time in that ring and I thrive off of that.”
Walsh has kept his counsel throughout the build-up and, despite his amateur edge, is not taking O’Sullivan for granted, saying: “In my eyes I’ve nothing over anyone. I always prepare 100 per cent for every opponent, we put the time and work in for this opportunity and I’m ready to showcase that on Friday night.
“Every fight is different – styles make fights and there’s a title on the line so I’m really looking forward to the test. The path to victory for this fight is to win this fight by any means necessary.”
The final domestic contest on the bill promises to be a thriller as, after months of back-and-forth verbals, Dubliner Peter Carr (3-1) and Navan’s Sean Murray (3-2) finally get to settle things in the ring.
The pair have been on a collision course ever since a back-and-forth argument at a press conference in May 2024. Since then, both have come out on the wrong side of all-Irish battles and careers aside, there are scores to settle in this six-round affair.
Carr (3-1) tasted defeat against now Irish title challenger O’Sullivan last time while Murray was outpointed by Richie O’Leary on the same night in April.
Carr is back firing on all cylinders now, he says, and is hoping to put the rivalry to bed.
He said: “It’s not that I don’t like Sean, it’s the fact that he started to talk about me behind my back so I will not let him get away with it. No one, and I mean no one, will talk about me behind my back and think everything is cool.
“But you will see that by my performance – when I throw with every shot and hit him with every shot, you will see and hear that there is venom behind each punch.”
Murray has trodden a less than conventional path as a prospect, with all bar one of his five contests to date coming against live domestic opposition, having also faced O’Sullivan for a title.
He has been on the wrong side of decisions against both O’Leary, and O’Sullivan, yet beaten Shane Meehan and Allan White, and comes into this as a battle-hardened pro.
Murray said: “I’ve got the most experience of the two of us and that’ll stand to me when the fight starts, and you’re going to see a fast, explosive, smarter fighter than before. I see myself hurting Peter Carr on Friday night and getting the big win.”
Also on the bill, Dublin’s Tony McGlynn laces up the gloves against unbeaten English man Josh Blenkiron, while legendary former world title challenger Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan returns to The Stadium in an six-round bout.
Unbeaten prospects such as Lateef Bayo Alabi, Glen Lynch, Kelsey Leonard and Podge Collins, the latest pugilist from the famous fighting family, all feature, while the show sees debuts for amateur talents Christina Desmond, Davey Joyce, Daniel Fakoyede and Sarah Murphy, with unbeaten John Carpenter also making his return to the ring.