Irish boxing has dreamed of blockbuster domestic showdowns like Crocker v Donovan

Irish professional boxing has picked itself up off the floor.

Boxers Lewis Crocker, left, and Paddy Donovan, right, with promoter Eddie Hearn, centre, during the press conference launch at The Europa Hotel in Belfast, ahead of their welterweight bout on March 1st at the SSE Arena in Belfast. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

It was well past midnight on a bitter September night when the typical debrief took place outside the 3Arena. After almost every Irish fight night, a gaggle of journalists, pundits and Irish boxing diehards gather to assess the mood. Here, the vibes were good.

Callum Walsh had just successfully headlined a card, joining a select group of boxers who have done so in the last 15 years. Matthew Macklin, Bernard Dunne and Katie Taylor are the only others. The card was full of thrills, theatre and the required dose of scorecard controversy.