ERIC ‘LILYWHITE LIGHTNING’ Donovan will fight Wales’ Dai Davies in his first title fight next month.

In a documentary feature which will go live on The42 tomorrow at 8am, the five-time Irish senior champion attributes a lot of his success to his coach, former IABA president Dominic O’Rourke.

After starting in St Michael’s Boxing Club at seven-years-old, Eric told us how he regularly decided he’d had enough, but O’Rourke saw something special in his ability and would always coax him back.

“He has this great ability of instilling a belief back into you. He epitomises what a coach is. Being a coach is not holding up the pads. It’s not blowing up the whistle. It’s being there as a mentor. As a friend. As a father figure.”

Despite not reaching his dream of becoming an Olympian, Donovan has set a new target of becoming a European champion in the professional ranks and currently holds a 4-0 pro record.

At 8am tomorrow, 25 August, our full feature on Eric “Lilywhite Lightning” Donovan will be released. Here’s a little taste of what to expect.