Belfast boxer Lewis Crocker has been hunting for a big name opponent since beating Paddy Donovan to claim the IBF Welterweight title at Windsor Park in September
Eddie Hearn will require assistance from Turki Alalshikh if he’s to secure Devin Haney as the first challenger for newly crowned World Champion Lewis Crocker.
The Belfast fighter defeated Paddy Donovan at Windsor Park in September to claim the IBF Welterweight title, and has since been searching for a high-profile opponent.
WBO Champion Haney’s name has been frequently mentioned by both Crocker and Hearn following the Donovan victory, but according to a recent update from the Matchroom promoter, external support will be required to bring the bout to fruition.
“Unless Turki Alalshikh turns around and makes that fight, who’s going to pay the money that those guys want and need for that fight? Cause it doesn’t generate it,” said Hearn this week.
“If we can make the Devin Haney fight or if we can make a big fight with Keyshawn or whoever it’s going to be, we’ll look at it but right now we’ve got to make a defence.”
One man who could step into the breach is Jack Catterall. Eddie Hearn has entertained the suggestion, but while interest may be cool from Crocker’s side, Catterall’s camp is more than ready to scrap.
“Lewis Crocker is in a situation right, where Connor Benn don’t want to fight him, who else is there?” said Catterall’s promoter Sam Jones in an interview with IFL TV at the beginning of December.
“(Devin) Haney is not going to fight him, so who else is there? So, you have to go down the top-15 of the IBF and think ‘Who is the best available opponent?’
“And it is, commercially, Jack Catterall in my opinion. People can disagree with that, go down the IBF and you make your own mind up.”
Continuing, he said “What’s going to happen is Lewis Crocker can have a defence against whoever, some random guy that no-one cares about, and it’s not going to do good numbers on DAZN, that’s the bottom line.
“He will sell tickets which is what he does, great ticket seller, great fighter as well Lewis, I’ve got a lot of time for him. He’ll fight them, he’ll have a defence, and then he has got to fight the winner of Donovan against Paro, and he’s going to have to fight his old mate Paddy again.
“Disaster for old (Billy) Nelson and Lewis Crocker in my opinion. That’s not what he would want to do.
“So, in my opinion, he needs to fight the best available fight which is Jack Catterall. And then he (Crocker) will probably move up in my opinion.”
