Donovan vs Ritson Predictions: Paddy comes of age

Paddy Donovan takes on Lewis Ritson in a welterweight battle this Saturday, May 25. The 10-rounder takes place at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, on the undercard of Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall II. The fight will be televised live on DAZN.

Here are my Donovan vs Ritson predictions ahead of a potential Fight of the Night candidate.

Donovan has been impressing the boxing fraternity as he has amassed his 13-0 record. The Irishman has 10 knockouts, with four in his last four fights. Donovan’s style combines fleet-footed movement, fast hands and southpaw awkwardness into a pugilistic nightmare for his opponents. It is a heady cocktail that has left his opposition with sore heads the morning after.

He is yet to face anything quite like Lewis Ritson. The former British lightweight champion is a warrior in the purest sense. Win, lose or draw; he makes every bout into a proper scrap. 

Sometimes, as against Ohara Davies and former world title challenger Jeremias Ponce, that can lead to Ritson getting knocked out. Other times, such as wins over ex-world champion Dejan Zlaticanin, amateur standout Joe Murray or top Brit Robbie Davies Jr, it can hand the Newcastle man some big victories.

Ritson is up against it here as he moves up to welterweight. His greatest successes have come down at lightweight and super lightweight. ‘Sandman’ has never fought a fully-fledged 147-pounder. That, coupled with two knockout losses in his last four fights, creates the impression that this is an impossible mission for Ritson.

At the age of 30, it is hard to believe Ritson views it that way though. Sure, he was stopped in nine rounds by Ohara Davies last time out. But he has rebounded from defeats before, often securing his career-best wins in the aftermath. This might be a double-tough fight against an unbeaten prospect at a new weight. But Ritson has never been daunted before and he is unlikely to start now.

Determination is one thing, but facts are facts. Donovan is 25 years old with much still to learn in the pro game. But what he has shown so far indicates vast promise. He dealt with former English champion Sam O'maison in six rounds, the same distance that world-ranked Dalton Smith stopped him in. Donovan needed just four rounds to take care of Danny Ball, another ex-domestic king who went two rounds further with highly-regarded Ekow Essuman. 

Ritson is the biggest name Donovan has faced thus far. The weight issue and whispers of a decline might mean it is not his toughest challenge yet. But equally, Ritson’s warrior spirit and never-say-die attitude might just render it such. 

Ultimately I think this is a smart piece of matchmaking from Matchroom. Ritson is the sort of fighter who can give anyone a challenge. But that is tempered by the size difference and the fact he has incurred recent stoppage losses. Donovan gets to take a measured risk, knowing that he likely has too much strength and freshness for his more-experienced foe.

I feel Donovan will get the job done here by knockout in the second half of the fight. A win for Paddy between rounds six and 10 is priced at 11/10. Ritson will make this one exciting while it lasts. He knows no other way. Unfortunately, against the slick Donovan, that relentlessness could be his undoing. The Irishman is still learning, and he’ll get a doctorate on Saturday I should think. But ultimately he’ll graduate with flying colours.

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