Ireland’s Eric Donovan plans to capitalise on a dream opportunity against Manchester’s super-featherweight contender Zelfa Barrett at Matchroom’s Fight Camp in Brentwood on Friday (August 14).
An accomplished amateur, Donovan (12-0, 7 KOs) mixed it with the best in the unpaid ranks, winning five Irish national titles and a bronze in the European Championships in 2010.
But, at 35, it’s now or never for Donovan as a professional and he feels a win over the stiff-hitting Barrett could propel him to meaningful contests at 126lbs or 130lbs. ‘Lilywhite Lightning’ can’t wait to strike.
“I don’t believe I’ve been tested truly,” said Donovan. “I don’t believe my character has been tested, I don’t believe my mental or physical ability has been tested to the maximum. You need that stress in front of you. You need that threat of someone trying to take your head off.
“If I don’t perform to the best of my ability, then Zelfa Barrett will beat me. That’s why I’m up for this fight and that’s why I know you’re going to see the best Eric Donovan on August 14. I have an opportunity to salvage a career. To make something of my career. To go out and finish off my boxing journey with a bang. To finally say I’ve done it my way.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be here and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. I think in life if you want to be successful, no matter what, you have to take risks. You also have to be able to back it up. You have to be good enough and you have to prepare well. When this opportunity was presented to me, I knew that chances and opportunities for me are few and fare between.
“Nobody has the balls to fight Zelfa at super-featherweight in Britain. So when [manager] Mark [Dunlop] put it to me I said, ‘Yes Mark, I’ll step up to it and I’ll take that because I see an opportunity’. If I can perform to the best of my ability on Friday night, I think I can do enough to win. I can see holes in Zelfa Barrett that I can exploit. Destiny awaits me on August 14.”
Main image: Matchroom Boxing.