Belfast's Lewis Crocker wins a hugely dramatic IBF eliminator against Paddy Donovan after his opponent is disqualified for delivering a punch after the bell at the end of the eighth round at the SSE Arena.

Billy Nelson is fully focused on a world title bid for Lewis Crocker with the Belfast man now a mandatory challenger for a shot at the IBF

SATURDAY night finished in a mess and it’s a mess is going to take a bit of cleaning up. A cloud of mixed emotion hung over the SSE Arena. Disappointment, relief, frustration, anger, sadness, pride… Relief for the Lewis Crocker camp because their man somehow got out of there with a victory despite getting a boxing lesson from Paddy Donovan.

Lewis Crocker has shared a photo showing the injuries he suffered in his fight with Paddy Donovan. The Belfast man is now the mandatory challenger for the IBF world welterweight title after Donovan was disqualified from their Belfast showdown for hitting Crocker after the bell had sounded in the eighth round.

It was not throwing the late punch that triggered Paddy Donovan's dismissal but the consequence of its impact, writes Elliot Worsell

Billy Nelson admitted winning in such a manner was "a very unsatisfactory way to win" despite Paddy Donovan owning most of the fight, but argued that 'The Real Deal' brought about his own misfortune

Lewis Crocker had his hand raised against Paddy Donovan after the Limerick man was controversially disqualified

Limerick fighter Paddy Donovan says he has already requested a rematch after his controversial disqualification in his IBF world title eliminator against Lewis Crocker.

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