Liam Paro Triumphant: Secures Home Ground for IBF Welterweight Title Bout Against Lewis Crocker

Liam Paro, the Australian boxing sensation, has expressed his jubilation at securing home advantage for his upcoming IBF welterweight world title fight against Lewis Crocker. The No Limit team’s successful purse bid ensures that the champion, Crocker, will travel to Australia for his first title defense, much to Paro’s delight.

Paro, a former light welterweight world champion, is eager to capitalize on the home comforts and believes this opportunity will elevate his status in his native land. The boxer, mentored by Brian Peters, has also voiced his relief at avoiding what he perceives as unpredictable judging in the UK.

Originally, Matchroom and Jamie Conlan, Crocker’s manager, had planned for the fight to take place at the SSE Arena in Belfast. However, Paro is thrilled that the bout will now be held on Australian soil. “I was confident I could win – I’ve traveled before and done it. But to have it on Australian ground is way better – I want to be a household name here,” Paro stated.

Paro further elaborated on his concerns about UK judging, stating, “Touching on the judging over in the UK, it’s pretty dodgy. We’ve seen shows recently where even the commentary doesn’t even know – if even the commentary’s not on the same page, that’s not good.” He expressed confidence in the IBF’s ability to provide fair judging, emphasizing that the best man will win on the night.

Addressing potential concerns about Crocker’s travel, Paro assured that international judges would be selected, ensuring a fair shake for both fighters. “It’s international judges – we don’t have Aussie judges here,” Paro explained. “They’re picked from all around the world, so the IBF are good at picking judges. We’ve both got a fair shake – the best man’s gonna win on the night.”

Paro’s excitement about winning another world title on home soil is palpable. “Words can’t describe how excited I am. I’ve been saying since before I was with No Limit how much I want to bring big titles to Australia; how much I want to win titles in front of the Aussie people,” he said. “We’re diehard fight fans and diehard sports fans. We always have to travel to take those big opportunities but now it’s here. It’s right in front of me.”

The No Limit team’s successful purse bid not only secures Paro’s home advantage but also sets the stage for a potential blockbuster world title card, with either Tim or Nikita Tszyu possibly joining Paro. No Limit CEO George Rose has expressed his enthusiasm for this bold move, aiming to dethrone two of Eddie Hearn’s UK world champions this year.

Rose confirmed his interest in having one of the Tszyu brothers on the card, while also highlighting their potential to face Hearn’s new IBF super welterweight champ Kelly later this year. “And both Tszyu boys are close to fighting again,” Rose said. “But had Liam had the opportunity to defend in Australia, I firmly believe he never loses that fight.”

As the anticipation builds, Paro remains focused on his ultimate goal: to perform on fight night and join the ranks of Australian boxing legends like Jeff Fenech. With the stage set and the home crowd behind him, Paro is poised to make history in the welterweight division.