A matchup between unbeaten rising welterweights carries the promise of a major title shot for the winner.

The Ring has confirmed that Paddy Donovan and Lewis Crocker will meet in a sanctioned IBF title eliminator. Final event details are being sorted out, including the date and location.

The Ring has learned that it will likely headline a March 1 Matchroom Boxing NXTGEN show on DAZN from SSE Arena in Crocker’s hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The bout was initially approved as an eliminator for the No. 2 position given the boxers’ placement in the current IBF ratings. Crocker (20-0, 11 knockouts) and Donovan (14-0, 11 KOs) are ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, at welterweight by the IBF.

A final eliminator request was granted when it was realized that Japan’s Jin Sasaki (18-1-1, 17 KOs) and England’s Conor Benn (23-0, 14 KOs)—IBF No. 3 and No. 4, respectively—were not available for such a fight.

Sasaki, The Ring No. 9-rated welterweight, is scheduled to fight countryman Shoki Sakai (29-14-3, 15 KOs) on the Dec. 24 Naoya Inoue-Sam Goodman The Ring 122-pound championship undercard in Tokyo. Benn is in preliminary talks for a targeted shot at WBC titlist Mario Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs), The Ring No. 3 welterweight.

Neither Crocker nor Donovan are rated in the top ten by The Ring. However, both enjoyed transitional campaigns in 2024 from prospect to rising contender.

Crocker’s career stock soared after a ten-round virtual shutout of Tyrone McKenna (23-3-1 at the time last Dec. 2 in their all-Belfast clash at home. Crocker, 27, added a fifth-round knockout of Jose Felix (then 40-6-1) eight weeks later on Jan. 27, also in Belfast.

His stiffest test to date came in an instant classic. Crocker edged Conah Walker (then 13-2-1) in their June 2022 UK Fight of the Year contender at bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham, England.

Donovan’s rise has been more rapid and pronounced.

The 25-year-old Limerick southpaw has stopped each of his last five opponents. A ninth-round stoppage of Lewis Ritson (23-5, 13 KOs) on May 25 marked Donovan’s most recent conquest. It was also the most significant win to date for the Andy Lee-guided welterweight.

The Crocker-Donovan winner will become the mandatory challenger to current titleholder Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (33-0, 29 KOS), The Ring No. 1 welterweight.