Lewis Crocker vs Paddy Donovan II - Belfast braces for history as pair behind final preparations

Walk down the street in London or New York when a major bout is in town, and the chances are you won't find too many people who even know when and where it takes place.

These vast metropolises, dominant centres of finance, culture and industry, are veritable titans in all walks of life, teeming with so many different stories amid the white noise.

Head away from the capital cities for the regional hubs though, and it tells a different story. Every town has a local hero or two - and plenty of them are built by success in the ring.

Manchester had Ricky Hatton. Leeds had Josh Warrington. Nottingham had Leigh Wood. These are all stars of the scene, nurtured by their home and handed their garlands.

A short hop across the Irish Sea, Belfast has seen its share of big names, its handful of big nights. But this weekend, few have ever come bigger on the canvas than this one.

Walk down the street in the Cathedral Quarter or stand in the shadow of history at Titanic Belfast, and there's a frisson in the air that hums like raw static, hungry and energised.

On September 13, Lewis Crocker will bring the will of his hometown behind him at Windsor Park against Paddy Donovan as the pair meet for the IBF welterweight championship.

Nights like this do not come around often in this part of the world, even with its proud heritage between the ropes - and all involved seem intimately aware of the stakes at hand.

But irrespective of what happens between the pair when they face off for a second time this year, half the job is done; a blockbuster occasion destined to live long in the memory.

Stars ready to forge new frontiers

Tucked a few blocks back from the banks of the River Lagan, between Victoria Street and Chichester Street, a multi-story leisure complex looms large beneath the glass dome.

Victoria Square Shopping Centre opened in 2008, long assimilated into the cityscape of a world where there are pockmarked reminders of its darker days around every corner.

Yet as a dozen fighters or so cut through its plaza, throw shadow hands around a makeshift ring and pose stoically for the cameras, there is a thematic sense to this occasion.

As open workouts proceed in front of the public eye, the decision to bring it here speaks to the story of regeneration both Crocker and Donovan encapsulate as fighters and men.

Thirty years ago, Belfast welcomed the visit of United States President Bill Clinton, a diplomatic delivery that played its part in the prolonged peace process of the nineties here.

Now, as MMA convert Molly McCann poses for selfies with fans while Pat Brown hustles around the ring, the city has helped to revive good times north and south of the border.

Crocker, a European schoolboy medalist, was born in 1997 and only a year old when the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Donovan would be born nine months afterwards.

They are men who have grown up with the knowledge of history, but without its weight on their shoulders. They are stars who have helped forge new frontiers with their success.

Now, one of them has the chances to broach a brave new world entirely - but it seems unlikely either man would have this moment without the rivalry and respect of the other.

The biggest night awaits but Belfast the winner

Rain drifts Belfast as the afternoon wears on, dark clouds that seem to percolate into thick, grey-hued ceilings that hang menacingly low just across the far horizon.

Still, beneath the dome, the fever cannot be dampened. Posters are slung up proclaiming final tickets on walls. Outside, there are billboards propped up against bus shelters.

Everyone knows the story by now. Even those not well versed in the fight game know that Crocker came up trumps in contentious circumstances against Donovan last time.

'The Real Deal' was up on the scorecards, but repeatedly cited for infringements by referee Marcus McDonnell, who eventually disqualified him for a hit after the bell.

Both men have spoken at length about their desire to settle this affair on their own terms, a definitive result that can draw a line underneath matters, unlike at the SSE Arena.

It feeds into the atmosphere, the razzle-dazzle and showmanship of the occasion. Windsor Park is not used to too many national triumphs, even less so when it comes to boxing.

Carl Frampton's homecoming show here lingers on, but that had few stakes on the line, proved to be more of a celebration for the former world champion's glittering career.

For Crocker, he is a star still in the prime of his career, with limitless possibilities beyond this fight, irrespective of its result. So too is Donovan, even as the away villain of the piece.

As fans trickle out into the darkened evening, both men depart with their entourages too. The biggest night of their lives is almost here - but for Belfast, they have already won.

Matchroom Boxing

Watch Lewis Crocker vs Paddy Donovan II on DAZN

Watch Lewis Crocker vs Paddy Donovan II, plus the whole undercard from Belfast's Windsor Park, with a DAZN subscription this September.

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