Lewis Crocker has waited six months for the chance to prove himself.

In March, he and Paddy Donovan met in an eagerly awaited all-Irish welterweight clash. Most correctly anticipated an exciting, hard fought contest. Nobody expected the controversy that eventually ensued.

In the eighth round of a dramatic fight, a swollen, hurt Crocker sank to his haunches.

As he dragged himself up off the canvas and listened to referee, Marcus McDonnell, administering a mandatory eight-count, the idea of a rematch probably felt a million miles away.

Less than a minute later, a return was the topic on everybody’s lips.

As chaos descended on Belfast’s SSE Arena, Donovan stepped in to end matters. A beat after the bell sounded to end the round, he landed a right hand that crumpled Crocker to the canvas. After already deducting two points from Donovan for use of the head, McDonnell felt he had no option but to disqualify him.

After being just a punch away from defeat, Crocker was declared the winner.

This weekend, Crocker (21-0, 11 KOs) and Donovan (14-1, 11 KOs) meet again and the stakes are even higher. The vacant IBF welterweight title will be on the line and a bumper crowd is expected to fill Belfast’s Windsor Park. DAZN will broadcast the 12-round fight globally.

“The way things worked out last time, I just feel like the stars are aligned for me this time around,” a calm Crocker said during Thursday’s final press conference.

“There will be approaching 20,000 in Belfast for a world title, who would have actually dreamt this to happen? Saturday can't come quick enough and thank you for everyone behind the scenes who has made this happen because it's a boyhood dream.”

Before the first fight, opinions were split on who would come out on top.

For every Crocker supporter who believed that he would be able to draw the quicksilver Limerick man into a fight, a Donovan fan would make the equally strong argument that their man was too fast and too clever to get involved.

Nobody outside of Donovan’s team predicted what eventually transpired. After feeling what Crocker had to offer, Donovan chose to meet the local man in centre ring and beat him at his own game.

Crocker’s trainer, Billy Nelson, is the man charged with finding a solution to a complicated problem. He insists that Crocker failed to produce his best first time around but is primed to do so on Saturday night.

"We’ve had a fantastic camp both in Glasgow and Dubai and he's exuding confidence so we're ready to go on Saturday night,” Nelson said.

“I hope to God he's 100% on the night, unlike the last night.

“We were very confident in the first fight and it never worked out but we're super confident for Saturday night.”

Although the first fight was dramatic and eventful, it was also relatively one-sided. If Donovan had pulled that final, fateful right hand and finished matters cleanly and conclusively in the next round, both fighters would have likely gone their separate ways.

The controversial ending made a potential return a major event and provided Crocker and Donovan the chance to make history: Jaron Ennis’ decision to relinquish his IBF and WBA welterweight titles and chase further glory at 154lbs means that Saturday’s fight will be the first time that two Irishmen have contested a world title.

Although - officially - Crocker won the first fight, the 28-year-old knows that he will need to be better in every department if he is to score a definitive victory on Saturday night.

“The last fight was massive even before the result happened so going into this one, it's the highest stage for both of us and it's what you get into boxing for. I can't wait to silence all the doubters,” he said.

“I know I'm a much better fighter than what I showed last time and, Saturday, without a doubt, I will be that.

“I believe I knock Paddy Donovan out, without a doubt.”