The supporting cast for Josh Taylor’s rescheduled rematch with Jack Catterall is coming together, as Matchroom announced yesterday that the show will also see welterweight prospect Paddy Donovan battle Lewis Ritson.
Donovan (13-0, 10 KO), a highly decorated amateur and protege of fellow Irish standout Andy Lee, is coming off a tougher-than-expected finish of Williams Andres Herrera in January. Ritson (23-3, 13 KO) is his biggest-name foe to date, but it’s questionable whether he’s the toughest; “Sandman” is a career super lightweight and 2-2 in his last four, suffering brutal stoppage losses to Jeremias Ponce and Ohara Davies amid wins over Christian Uruzquieta and a faded Dejan Zlaticanin.
Donovan is admittedly still just 25 and coming off of some rough performances, so it’s not the worst matchmaking. He can afford a few more domestic-level tussles before moving on to the world stage. They could have at least sprung for an actual welterweight, though.