Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Robert Hynes

Eric Donovan to face two-time Olympic gold medallist Robeisy Ramirez and Kurt Walker to make pro debut on Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall undercard

Kildare boxer Eric Donovan will face two-time Cuban Olympic gold medallist Robeisy Ramirez in Glasgow next month.

The bout comes on the undercard of the highly anticipated junior welterweight showdown between Scottish undisputed world champion Josh Taylor and undefeated WBO No. 1 contender Jack Catterall at the OVO Hydro.

Donovan (14-1, 8 KOs) faces the Olympic 2012 flyweight and 2016 bantamweight champion in a 10-round featherweight battle on February 26.

Ramirez (8-1, 4 KOs) stunned the flyweight field as a 16-1 underdog to win gold at the 2012 Games in London before winning a second gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He defected from Cuba in July 2018.

Following a split decision defeat to Adan Gonzales in his August 2019 pro debut, Ramirez has won eight straight fights, including a shutout decision win over Gonzales in their 2020 rematch.

Ramirez shined on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder III undercard last October, dominating the previously unbeaten Orlando Gonzalez over 10 rounds.

Donovan, a one-time Irish amateur star from Athy, has won two fights since an August 2020 TKO loss to Zelfa Barrett.

“Ever since that shocking loss in his professional debut, Robeisy Ramirez has shown why he was one of the top fighters from the 2016 Rio Olympics,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.

“Robeisy fought all over the world during his amateur career, and we are thrilled that he will be able to showcase his skills for the Scottish fans.”

Ramirez said: "Ever since I won my first Olympic gold medal in London, I've wanted to fight again in this part of the world. Scottish fans are incredibly passionate, and I can't wait to put on a great show for them in front of a sold-out arena. My opponent is a tough Irishman, and I will be at my very best to come out victorious."

Meanwhile, Kurt Walker will make his highly anticipated pro debut on the Glasgow card.

The Belfast featherweight, who won bronze at the 2017 European Championships, silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and gold at the 2018 EU Championships and 2019 European Games, lost to the USA's Duke Ragan in a hotly contested Olympic quarter-final bout last year

Galway Junior middleweight Kieran Molloy, who won 11 national amateur titles and earned a bronze medal at the 2018 EU Championships in Spain, will also make his pro debut on the night.

Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.