Paddy Donovan-Lewis Ritson Confirmed for Josh Taylor-Jack Catterall II

Irish welterweight prospect Paddy Donovan has been granted a prominent step up in opposition after Matchroom Boxing confirmed that he will return on May 25.

Donovan (13-0, 10 KOs) will face former British lightweight champion Lewis Ritson (23-3, 13 KOs) in Leeds, U.K., on the undercard of the rearranged but highly anticipated rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall.

Donovan, last in action in January against Williams Andres Herrara (16-3, 7 KOs), will hope to produce a stronger showing against Ritson. Still, although Donovan felt his performance against Herrara was below par, trainer Andy Lee praised his charge for stepping up and grinding out a win despite his not feeling 100 percent.

Ritson hasn’t fought since his comprehensive defeat against Ohara Davies (25-3, 18 KOs) last April. In a final eliminator for the WBA super lightweight title, Ritson suffered a ninth-round knockout courtesy of a body shot from Davies in the former British titleholder’s native Newcastle, U.K.

Ritson held the British lightweight title and won it outright with three successful title defenses in 2018, following a seven-round demolition of Robbie Barrett (17-3-1, 1 KO) at the Manchester Arena in 2017 that earned him the Lonsdale Belt.

In 2018, Francesco Patera (29-4, 11 KOs) handed Ritson the first defeat of his career in a successful EBU lightweight title defense. Following the loss, Ritson moved to the 140-pound division and won four straight before dropping a 10-round decision to Jeremias Nicolas Ponce (31-1, 21KOs) in an IBF world super lightweight title eliminator.

Reporting by IrishBoxing.com had suggested that Donovan had been expected to feature on the undercard of the trilogy fight between Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron. Ultimately, Taylor-Cameron III has hit an impasse in negotiations, forcing Matchroom to switch Donovan-Ritson to Leeds instead of Dublin.