Eric Donovan suggests Jono Carroll was wary of facing ‘a highly schooled, intelligent, strong boxer’

Team Jono Carroll didn’t want to risk him against a ‘highly schooled’ operator’ and that’s the main reason he is fighting Eric Donovan, according to the Kildare man.

The Irish featherweight champion offered to fill in for Scott Quigg when the Bury native pulled out of his proposed fight with the Dub.

Donovan claimed he was more than ready to take on the recent world title challenger on the undercard of Andy Ruiz Anthony Joshua II in Saudi Arabia come December 7.

‘King Kong’ initially hit back at the suggestion online, before explaining he felt the Irish champ would prove a step back at a time when he is trying to return to a world title shot.

The fact Matchroom are looking to reschedule a mouthwatering Carroll Quigg fight for as soon as February meant the Dublin southpaw was unlikely to appear in the Middle East, thus further hampering the Kenneth Egan coached talents chances of getting the chance to step in.

Donovan is savy enough to understand that side of the game, but he believes when everything is stripped away, the real reason he won’t get the fight is because he is a threat.

“Nothing ever came of that, they don’t want a highly schooled, intelligent, strong boxer like me. I genuinely believe that,” Donovan told Irish-boxing.

“So I’ll keep ploughing away.”

Plough away he will, as he returns to the ring in Scotland tonight. Win there and his next opponent is already lined up for Celtic Clash 10.

The Boxing Ireland fighter faces Spaniard Cristian Montilla in February – and that is a fight that could open some form of European doors.

“I predict a win, and I will go for the knockout but a win is my objective,” he says of tonight’s fight, before discussing Montilla.

“Montilla is locked in 1st of February back in Ireland and I am looking forward to having it out with him. I’m not sure if it’s for EU title but possibly a Celtic Nations one or something. ”