Lewis Crocker to Defend IBF Welterweight Title Against Liam Paro
In an exciting development for boxing fans, Lewis Crocker is set to defend his IBF welterweight world title against Liam Paro, with the highly anticipated match taking place in Australia. This significant event follows a successful purse bid won by Paro’s promoters, No Limit Boxing, which guarantees that the championship clash will occur on Paro’s home turf.
“No Limit Boxing has secured promotional rights to Liam Paro’s IBF world title challenge, successfully winning the official purse bid overnight to lock in a blockbuster world championship bout on Australian soil,”
the promoters announced via social media platform X.
With this fight, Paro will get his long-awaited chance to compete for a world title in front of his fellow Australians after previously having to travel abroad for notable matches. The specific date and venue for this showdown will be disclosed soon.
Had Crocker’s promotional team, Matchroom, led by Eddie Hearn, succeeded in the bidding process, this bout would have occurred at the SSE Arena in Belfast on April 18.
Crocker, who has not stepped into the ring since his victory over Paddy Donovan in September, will be fighting under a new coach, Huzaifah Iqbal, after parting ways with his former trainer, Billy Nelson, in January. Meanwhile, Paro was originally scheduled to face Donovan in a final eliminator for the title on January 16 in Brisbane; however, that fight was scrapped due to an injury sustained by Donovan.
Crocker’s title defense was initially set to be voluntary, but the IBF subsequently mandated Paro as the challenger. Previously, Paro held the super IBF lightweight title in June 2024 before facing his only defeat against American fighter Richardson Hitchins six months later. Having made the transition to the welterweight division last year, Paro has achieved victories over Jonathan Navarro and David Papot, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling encounter with Crocker.
