IF Wednesday's press conference at the Europa Hotel is anything to go by, the March 1 welterweight world title eliminator between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan at the SSE Arena is set to be something special.

This Belfast vs Limerick showdown has been brewing for the past year and it has certainly captured the imagination of fight fans as a large and vociferous crowd gathered in the Grand Ballroom to get a glimpse of these rivals going head-to-head for the first time as they engaged in plenty of verbal sparring before they let their fists do the talking in spring.

Both brought their support to the city centre and both had to listen to jibes from not just each other, but the crowd which is a tasty prelude of things to come with promoter, Eddie Hearn liking the press conference atmosphere as a throwback to the days of the Frampton-Quigg press tour.

That night in Manchester was a hot ticket and this fight is following suit with over half of the 7000 seats already sold on a card which looks set to settle plenty of rivalries as the undercard contains a cruiserweight clash between Tommy McCarthy and Steven Ward, while Irish super-bantamweight champion Ruadhan Farrell and Gerard Hughes will rematch following their disputed draw in December 2023.

Padraig McCrory is confirmed for a big fight which is set to be confirmed within days and prospect Jack O'Neill is also set to appear with Caoimhin Agarko and Kurt Walker also potentially in line for slots on a card which is topped by one of the most eagerly-anticipated all-Irish fights for many years.

The prize for the winner is a shot at IBF champion Jaron 'Boots' Ennis - although there is a suggestion the American may vacate to move up to light-middleweight, therefore freeing up the belt - but pride is on the line and both men are clearly relishing what lies ahead in a battle of big punchers.

They have circled one another for the past year but now it's on and Belfast is the venue despite Donovan initially preferring Limerick or Dublin.

Crocker was quick to bring this particular issue up, insisting he had no issues travelling, as was the case in his last outing when coming through a fight-of-the-year contender in Birmingham against Conah Walker.

"I took that fight and did you hear me complain? You (Donovan) were at ringside and kept saying 'can I fight in Limerick?'," the South Belfast man snapped.

"He is building this up to be some sort of North v South thing, but it's not like that. This is Belfast v Limerick and I'm a proud Belfast man who is representing every community. 

"The best thing to happen was that Walker fight as it has given them confidence. Me and my team know what happened on fight week which affected me, but I made no excuses. The worst version of me beat the best version of Conah Walker.

"You (Donovan) got hurt by a journeyman (Williams Andres Herrera) last January (at the Ulster Hall). I'm going to be a tough man to beat on March 1, mark my words."

It was a bearpit atmosphere and that is just a teaser of what is to come as Donovan insisted he has been much more willing to take this fight than Crocker.

The Limerick man, back by his own support and dressed in a 'crocodile hunter' outfit, was happy to lay down the gauntlet, insisting he has the better pedigree despite having less experience as a pro.

However, despite the verbals, it's the fists that will do the talking on March 1 and their claims they will represent the toughest night of the other's career is impossible to disagree with as there is a sense this could be remembered as a classic for years to come.

"I knock Lewis Crocker out," 'The Real Deal' promised.

"You (Crocker) were forced to fight me. I have been pushing for this fight for the last 12 months. 

"I don't believe Lewis is a world-class fighter. There are levels and I believe I'm much better than Lewis. I've had 14 fights and I'm in the top 10 in the world; it took him 20 fights to get there."