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Australia’s Liam Paro is the new IBF welterweight champion with a points win over Belfast’s Lewis Crocker at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, Australia.
Paro, who previously held the IBF light-welterweight title, became the first Australian-born boxer since Jeff Fenech to become a multi-weight world champion, earning a 115-113 consensus on all three cards after a hard-fought battle.
The 30-year-old produced a display of skill and heart to see off Croker who was making his first defense of the title he won in Belfast last September, improving on his record 28 wins with a defeat.
Crocker, 29, appeared on the brink of a stoppage late in the fight but couldn’t find the finishing shot with Paro reeling, suffering his first career setback in his 23rd contest and will now look to rebuild.
Paro won his first world title when Richardson saw off a significant challenge posed by big-puncher Subriel Matias in June 2024 before losing his next fight against Hitchens.
After moving up to welterweight last year, his dream of becoming a two-weight champion has come true, but the Northern Irishman pushed him to the brink.
“It means everything,” Paro told broadcaster Main Event
“I’ve been up the hill before (at light-welterweight) but it’s been a long, hard road. I got knocked out and I’m back here.
“I had to dig in. Lewis Crocker is a great champion and held his own like a true champion.
“A lot of people told me I couldn’t, now what? I want all the big fights Down Under now. I want it all. This life is about testing yourself so bring it on.”
There were no complaints from the outgoing champion who took the race after a slow start and while he came close to pulling it out of the fire late on, Paro managed to survive the onslaught.
“It was a great fight, respect to Liam,” he said.
“It was a very close fight. I think holding could have done more but congratulations to Liam, he’s a great fighter.”
