{"id":401134,"date":"2026-01-09T03:37:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T03:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/401134\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T03:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T03:37:09","slug":"liam-paro-vs-lewis-crocker-world-title-fight-details-date","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/401134\/","title":{"rendered":"Liam Paro vs Lewis Crocker world title fight details, date"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australia\u2019s Liam Paro has been sensationally catapulted into a world title showdown against IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker \u2013 and only days after being crushed by the news that what was supposed to be a title eliminator next Friday night had been cancelled<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The IBF has today ordered Crocker to defend against Paro, who is now the mandatory challenger, after rejecting a push from the Englishman\u2019s promoter Eddie Hearn to have an April voluntary defence.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Team Paro will now enter talks with Matchroom boss Hearn to finalise details of the fight.<\/p>\n

The decision caps off an incredible few days for the Queensland fighter.<\/p>\n

As part of his bid to become a two-division world champion, Paro had been slated to fight Irishman Paddy Donovan in next Friday night\u2019s stacked No Limit showcase in Brisbane \u2013 with the winner then granted a shot at Crocker.<\/p>\n

That bout was set to act as the co-main for the hyped all-Australian grudge match that is Michael Zerafa versus Tim Tszyu.<\/p>\n

The stacked card also includes the exciting heavyweight debut of new No Limit signing Nelson Asofa-Solomona.<\/p>\n

However, Paro\u2019s fight was sensationally canned after Donovan was struck down by the flu and subsequently forced to withdraw.<\/p>\n

Immediately, No Limit CEO George Rose called for Paro to be granted a title shot.<\/p>\n

And reports coming out of America reveal that will now happen.<\/p>\n

Veteran US boxing scribe Dan Rafael was the first to report that IBF officials have ordered Crocker to defend against Paro. <\/p>\n

While the champ had wanted to have a voluntary defence against Conah Walker in Belfast, that has been rejected — meaning the Australian now gets his chance to become a two division world champion. <\/p>\n

Ranked among Australia\u2019s most exciting fight prospects, Paro initially won the IBF super lightweight title in 2024, upsetting Puerto Rico\u2019s Subriel Matias.<\/p>\n

Only six months later however, the Mackay slugger then dropped his crown to American sensation Richardson Hitchins, who subsequently went and defended against fellow Australian George Kambosos.<\/p>\n

Paro, meanwhile, has since moved up to welterweight — earning wins over Jonathan Navarro and David Papot — but appeared to have hit a major roadblock when Donovan was ruled out of next Friday\u2019s clash.<\/p>\n

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia initially about the drama on New Years Day, Rose admitted to being \u201cextremely disappointed\u201d by the news \u2013 but stressed he would immediately shift focus to landing his fighter a world title shot.<\/p>\n

Paro agreed it was simply a delay of the inevitable, while also questioning his rival choosing to withdraw \u201cwith the flu\u201d, and suggesting it likely had more to do with the fact he \u201cnever wanted the smoke\u201d.<\/p>\n

Incredibly, the chaotic circumstances came only weeks after Paro initially accused Donovan of running from their showdown — and urged him to \u201cfind a set\u201d \u2013 following revelations the Irishman still hadn\u2019t signed off on his contract.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gutted the fight is off,\u201d Paro said when news of Donovan\u2019s withdrawal broke.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve put in a full camp, flown world-level sparring over to prepare and done everything right.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo when it\u2019s then taken away this close, of course it stings.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019d be lying if I said I wasn\u2019t frustrated.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was ready to go and he\u2019s pulled out, simple as that. I was prepared for the toughest version of Paddy Donovan, and now he\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Liam Paro will get his world title shot. (Photo by Emily Barker\/Getty Images for No Limit Boxing)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Soon after, the former IBF super lightweight champ continued of Donovan: \u201cTo be honest, it feels like he never wanted the smoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe took forever to sign the contract and now pulls out with the flu.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve battled through training camps before with sickness, including for the Matias world title, but fighters fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was coming in fit, confident, and ready to make a statement, and maybe he saw that.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was just going to be a statistic on my record anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rose added: \u201cIt\u2019s extremely disappointing to see Donovan\u2019s team pull out of a world title eliminator.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese opportunities are rare.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiam\u2019s preparation and motivation for this fight were next level.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat said, our focus now shifts back to Liam Paro chasing the world title and we won\u2019t miss a step in making it happen.\u201d\u2028<\/p>\n

Paro agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs frustrating as this is, it\u2019s boxing,\u201d he stressed. \u201cWe stay in the gym, grinding, and I know God always has a greater plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy focus hasn\u2019t changed one bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m coming for Lewis Crocker and the world title next.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will be a two-division champion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is just a delay, not the destination.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll reset, stay sharp, and be ready for the world title next \u2026 I should not and cannot be denied.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Australia\u2019s Liam Paro has been sensationally catapulted into a world title showdown against IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":401135,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[64,63,802,85],"class_list":["post-401134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-boxing","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=401134"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401134\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/401135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=401134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=401134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=401134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}