Bloodied but victorious, Liam Paro has secured his second world boxing title by defeating IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker in a wild Brisbane duel. The Queenslander won by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 115-113 on Wednesday at Pat Rafter Arena.
Historic Achievement for Australian Boxing
Victory comes two years after Paro collected the IBF's super lightweight belt, earning him a place alongside Jeff Fenech as the only Australian men's boxers with world titles in multiple weight classes of the sport's big four organisations. Paro's relentless pressure and activity in the early rounds set the tone, as he chipped away while Crocker surged forward.
Fight Dynamics and Turning Points
The Australian remained evasive, but Crocker's power and size showed in the middle rounds, threatening to turn the tide. Paro steadied in the seventh round before the contest opened up in the final rounds. A clash of heads forced a pause after Crocker caught Paro in the back of the head. Blood streamed from above Paro's left eye, yet the challenger fought on, engaging in a fierce finale before embracing his opponent after the final bell.
Paro's Reaction and Controversy
“That was unreal. He came to fight but I’d do that again, a thousand times over,” a stitched-up Paro said. “I made history. Love me, hate me, you can’t take that from me. You get punched in the face, headbutt, cut, sometimes it goes out the window and you bite down and fight.”
The Australian was warned for a low blow and for leading with his head but was never docked a point. Crocker, gracious in defeat, expressed frustration and questioned whether the referee should have done more. Paro, however, believed the scorecards should have been wider. “I was very confident; I knew we won that fight comfortably,” he said.
Co-Main Event: NRL Stars Collide
In the co-main event, former NRL heavy hitters Nelson Asofa-Solomona and George Burgess faced off. Asofa-Solomona improved to 3-0 after victory in the battle. The pair spent the first minute sizing each other up before engaging in an entertaining slugfest. Burgess, on debut, was cut in the first round but showed class to evade Asofa-Solomona and land a left-hand combination. However, out on his feet in the second round, he staggered to the bell, and the Burgess corner threw in the towel in the third round. Paying tribute to rugby league counterpart Jai Arrow, who is battling motor neurone disease, the pair agreed to auction off their trunks to support the cause.
Heavyweight Clash
Earlier, Demsey McKean (25-2) stopped a free-swinging Liam Talivaa (8-3) in the fourth round of their IBF Pan Pacific heavyweight clash. The much shorter Talivaa took a hammering but barely flinched, almost connecting with two ferocious uppercuts. Chasing the knockout, McKean lined him up with a huge left hand before the referee intervened.
