Paddy Donovan gets to rebuild his career on home soil. In the co-main event of Katie Taylor’s Croke Park farewell, the Limerick welterweight faces fellow Irishman Tyrone McKenna in an all-Ireland clash that carries real stakes for Donovan’s route back to world title contention.
Paddy Donovan (“Real Deal”) is 26, from Limerick, Ireland, standing 5’9” with a southpaw stance. He is 15-2 with 11 knockouts. Donovan’s two career losses both came against Lewis Crocker — a disqualification defeat in March 2025 and a split decision loss in a world title fight that September. He bounced back in May 2026 with a majority decision win over Karen Chukhadzhian in an IBF eliminator, putting himself back in the mix for another crack at a world title. This fight in front of an Irish crowd at Croke Park is a chance to build further momentum.
Tyrone McKenna (“The Mighty Celt”) is 35, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, standing 6’1” with a southpaw stance. He is 25-6-1 with 8 knockouts and has fought at a high level for over a decade, sharing the ring with names like Jack Catterall, Regis Prograis and Lewis Crocker. McKenna returned to form in September 2025 with a seventh-round TKO win over Dylan Moran, having lost to Harlem Eubank earlier that year. He brings a wealth of experience and durability into this Croke Park assignment.
| Donovan | McKenna | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 26 | 35 |
| Height | 5’9” | 6’1” |
| Record | 15-2 | 25-6-1 |
| KO Rate | 73% | 32% |
| Stance | Southpaw | Southpaw |
Paddy Donovan
| Result | Opponent | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Win | Karen Chukhadzhian | MD 12 |
| Loss | Lewis Crocker | SD 12 |
| Loss | Lewis Crocker | DQ (R8) |
| Win | Lewis Ritson | TKO 9 |
| Win | Williams Herrera | TKO 7 |
Tyrone McKenna
| Result | Opponent | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Win | Dylan Moran | TKO 7 |
| Loss | Harlem Eubank | TKO 10 |
| Win | Dylan Moran | TKO |
| Loss | Mohamed Mimoune | TKO/KO 5 |
| Loss | Lewis Crocker | UD 10 |
Two southpaws sharing a ring changes the usual angles, and both men know how to fight from range as well as in exchanges. Donovan is the younger, sharper puncher with a significantly higher knockout rate, and he’ll look to use hand speed and combinations to close rounds emphatically. McKenna’s experience and durability have kept him competitive against much bigger names over the years, and his height gives him a platform to work behind a long jab if he can keep Donovan at range. The concern for McKenna is Donovan’s power; the concern for Donovan is whether Crocker’s back-to-back defeats left any lingering questions about his composure against awkward, durable opposition.
For Donovan:
For McKenna:
Donovan enters as the betting favorite given his superior knockout ratio and status as mandatory challenger material at welterweight, but McKenna’s veteran know-how and durability make this more competitive than the numbers suggest. Expect Donovan’s power and younger legs to take over as the rounds progress, with a stoppage win in the second half of the fight the most likely outcome if he can find McKenna’s chin.
This all-Irish welterweight clash sits directly below the Taylor vs Pili main event, with Dave Allen vs Thomas Carty and Joe McGrail vs Matty Boreland also featured on one of the biggest nights in Irish boxing history.
When is Paddy Donovan vs Tyrone McKenna? Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland.
Why did Paddy Donovan lose to Lewis Crocker? Donovan lost a disqualification in their first meeting in March 2025 and a split decision in a world title fight that September.
Is a world title on the line in this fight? No, but a win keeps Paddy Donovan in the conversation for future welterweight world title opportunities.
What is Tyrone McKenna’s most notable recent result? A seventh-round TKO win over Dylan Moran in September 2025, following a loss to Harlem Eubank earlier that year.
Where can I watch in the US? DAZN.
Are both fighters from Ireland? Yes — Donovan is from Limerick in the Republic of Ireland, and McKenna is from Belfast in Northern Ireland.
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