Liam Paro may have walked to the ring dressed as Crocodile Dundee, but this was undeniably a night where he made his own name.
Almost two years to the day since he upset IBF super lightweight champ Subriel Matias, a bloody Paro has secured Australian sports history with an incredibly gutsy win over IBF welterweight champion Lewis Crocker.
Entering the final round with the entirety of Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena on their feet, the Queenslander went and secured himself a second world title in an incredible show of hurt, heart, all of it – eventually taking the decision on all three scorecards 115-113.
Paro v Crocker | Wednesday June 24 from 7pm AEST | Liam Paro gets his long awaited title shot against IBF welterweight champion, Lewis Crocker plus ex-NRL beasts collide as Nelson Asofa-Solomona faces George Burgess. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
The win sees Paro now join an elite list of Australian fighters to have won world titles in more than one weight class – including the likes of Jeff Fenech, Danny Green, Anthony Mundine and Vic Darchinyan.
Paro is also the first Australian-born fighter since Fenech to have won world titles in two divisions with one of the four major organisations
Importantly, the result now opens the Aussie up for a potential unification bout with one of the division’s three other superstar champions – Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia and Rolly Romero. There has also been talk of a showdown with the legendary Manny Pacquiao.
Paro crowned World Champion again | 01:34
More immediately however, there could also be a fight with Paddy Donovan, who has twice fought and lost to Crocker, but has since fought himself back into the mandatory No.1 spot.
Elsewhere, the result was also a huge win for No Limit’s Rose brothers – George, Matt, and Trent – who shelled out $1.12 million to stage the IBF blockbuster in Australia. It was a sum that doubled as the nation’s biggest ever boxing purse win … but now looks set to pay back, big time.
Apart from boxing beautifully through 12 rounds, Paro was cut over his left eye late in the fight – and was bleeding heavily by the finish – while his right eye also appeared to be showing signs of significant damage.
Regardless, the Aussie put on an outstanding display in a fight that, by the final round, had the entire Brisbane crowd on their feet … and when the scores were being read, completely silent and holding their breath.
Then, from ring announcer Steve Peios: “Aaaaaaaand New”.
Cue pandemonium.
While the Rose boys were incredibly animated ringside, Crocker’s promoter Eddie Hearn posted video of himself watching proceedings from inside a waterfront restaurant, and on an iPhone.
In the build to this win, Paro had declared himself ‘The Croc Hunter’.
A promise he doubled down on when, making his walkout to Working Class Man, the challenger not only wore a Crocodile Dundee hat, but sleeveless brown robe made of faux crocodile skin.
Beautiful.
Once proceeding started, however, it was Crocker who let his intentions be known early, walking Paro backward and trying to impose himself – most notably via a left hook, which the Aussie went under, before landing a strong left hand himself for a strong opening in his own backyard.
In the second, it was Paro’s jab, then left hand that found the champ who walked forward regardless, landing an overhand as he went. Paro then returned serve with a straight left which was again proved prominent in Round 3, this time putting the champ back.
NAS vs Burgess | Fight Highlights | 05:44
Into four, and Paro was boxing nicely off the back foot but the champ went after him, again, growing into the fight as he went, and by the fifth Crocker had earned his best round of the fight, which included a couple of big right hands to the body.
Again in the sixth the champ was strong, and again with right hands, although the Aussie several times found combinations of his own, while the seventh was also incredibly close although Paro certainly appears to be the busier fighter, throwing more than the champ.
Again the eighth is close, with both men having moments, including a strong Paro combination off the ropes as he boxes brilliantly and the Brisbane crowd cheers. However there is now obvious damage to Paro’s right eye which gets treatment from his corner at the end of the round.
Paro starts the ninth strongly, with the champ then fighting his way back into things, while by the end of the tenth there was an argument – certainly online — for suggesting the scores could be locked.
Into the championship rounds, both men continued to trade before Crocker appeared to hit Paro twice in the back of the head, with refereeing Tony Weeks intervening and then asking for a doctor to inspect the Aussie.
He did, gave the all clear, and the two men went back to trading to the bell.
The final round started with the entire crowd on its feet, then both men trading, Paro is cut now over the left eye, with the fight paused, the cut checked, play on, and Crocker again coming forward and throwing … appearing to damage his right hand with the last shot of the fight.
NAS and Burgess pay tribute to Jai Arrow | 00:48
Paro however, had done enough.
Meaning that while the Croc Hunter gig may be done, huge new opportunities are coming.
“Oh man, this means everything, this is a long, hard road. I have climbed the mountain before, I got knocked off and here I am again,” Paro said post-fight.
“…I’m speechless. I had to dig deep, Lewis Crocker is a hell of a champion and I respect the hell out of him, he held himself like a true champion.
“No bull***t, he came here to fight. Lewis Crocker, I respect you for life brother, thank you.”
As for his dual-champion status, Paro said: “Oh man, it’s been a long, hard road. I had so many people telling me I couldn’t.
“What now? No, I just want to thank every single person who came out here and supported me throughout my career.
“Australia deserves all the big fights, we are going to bring all the big fights here, f*** travelling.”
At that point, Crocker jumped in to pay tribute to his opponent.
“I just want to congratulate Liam, a fantastic fight mate, you’re a true champion and I respect you. Congratulations,” he said.
Paro also explained he would be “going back to the drawing board” before he plots his next move in the “glamour division”.
“I want it all, life is about testing yourself and I want everyone,” he added.
Read below for all the latest updates from the Paro v Crocker card!
LIVE UPDATES (if the blog does not appear, tap here)
FULL CARD
MAIN CARD (via Kayo Sports and Main Event)
Liam Paro def. Lewis Crocker – IBF welterweight title
Nelson Asofa-Solomana def. George Burgess – Heavyweight
Demsey McKean def. Liam Talivaa – Heavyweight
Luke Modini def. Peng Qu – Cruiserweight
PRELIMS (via Kayo Sports and Fox Sports CH507)
Stevan Ivic def. Caleb Tialu – Heavyweight
Jack Javed def. Lance MacDonald – Super welterweight
Vegas Larfield def. Shamal Ram Anuj – Featherweight
Riley Candy def. Brayden Rawlins -Super middleweight
Burgess throws in towel as NAS dominates | 00:42
BIG NASTY GETS IT DONE
Nelson Asofa-Solomona has confirmed himself Australia’s new crossover king – and potentially secured a $1 million showdown with Paul Gallen – after earning a third straight career win against George Burgess.
In a Brisbane slobberknocker that proved wonderfully entertaining, if not exactly technical, Asofa-Solomona had Burgess rocked, and against the ropes in the third when the hulking Englishman’s corner threw in the towel.
Immediately after the fight, both former NRL enforcers paid tribute to South Sydney’s Jai Arrow, who has only recently revealed his battle with motor neurone disease.
While being interviewed in the ring by Main Event’s Ben Damon, NAS removed his fight trunks and said he would be auctioning them online with all proceeds going to Arrow, with Burgess then suggesting he would do the same. “He’s fighting a bigger fight than us,” Burgess said, having lost his father Mark to the same disease. “And we’re all behind him.”
After having already defeated fellow leaguies Jeremy Latimore and Jarrod Wallace, Asofa-Solomona is now angling for a showdown against NSW Origin great Gallen.
Speaking with Fox Sports this week, No Limit boss George Rose confirmed discussions are already underway for the fight – with Gal requesting a $1 million purse for the showdown.
Gallen, of course, boasts a strong boxing resume that includes wins against Lucas Browne, Mark Hunt and Sonny Bill Williams, while almost going the distance in an Australian heavyweight title fight against Justis Huni.
Asofa-Solomona, meanwhile, has made short work of his rivals – with Burgess now the latest name to join his list of victims.
But geez, the son of streetfighter, and grandson of a bareknuckle streetfighter, and great grandson of a bareknuckle streetfighter had a crack.
Walking to the ring first, South Sydney’s premiership hero was accompanied by popular Aussie singer Conrad Sewell, who belted out Firestone all the way into the squared circle at Pat Rafter Arena.
Wearing a purple and gold sleeveless robe, with matching trunks, Burgess also carried the name ‘Butch’ on his gear in tribute to his streetfighting grandfather.
Big Nasty, meanwhile, was accompanied in his walkout by a lone guitarist pumping out Jon Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer.
As usual he was decked out in black trunks and sleeveless robe.
While Burgess came into this one with nobody knowing how well he could fight, it was his right hand that landed heavy early in a show of real promise.
And from there? Well, things got a little, err, chaotic. And immediately, as both men swung wildly, missed, grinned, swung some more, before Big Nasty landed, and again, this time with a big right that wobbled Burgess, who – somehow – recovered and saw out the round.
Wonderfully, Round 2 started where the first finished; with NAS this time landing better first, popping the jab, before Burgess returned fire, then appeared to trouble the betting favourite, before copping it again himself, then pushing NAS into the corner, while bleeding from over his left eye now, and then copping it again .. bang, bang … ding, ding.
While Nelson, undeniably through the opening six minutes, was getting the better of proceedings, Burgess was still enjoying moments – which every time drew cheers from the crowd. And at one point, a chant of “Georgie … Georgie … Georgie …”
Round three though was all NAS, who was landing early, including with a huge right which, somehow, Burgess ate, before ‘Big Nasty’ poured it on, almost pushing his rival out of the ring, and then landing again … which is when the towel was thrown.
Burgess’ unique walkout turns heads | 02:33
FORMER BRONCOS’ STUNNING DISPLAY
He’s renowned for being one of Australia’s hardest-hitting boxers, but Luke Modini could have gone down a very different path.
The unbeaten 29-year-old continued his run with a win over Peng Qu on Wednesday, showcasing his brutal power with a overhand left saw his Chinese opponent slump to the canvas.
Late in the third, Qu couldn’t continue as the referee ended the bout.
“Modini has arrived with the bang that was expected,” Ben Damon said.
But it was at 20-years-old Modini decided to focus on boxing full time, leaving a potential rugby league career behind.
The rising star was playing for the Broncos’ under 20s side at the time and had trained alongside the likes of Payne Haas, Kotoni Staggs and Pat Carrigan according to Code Sports.
“If you talk to anyone in boxing, they talk about how explosive Luke Modini is,” George Rose said prior to his bout.
Young gun Aussie Modini dominates! | 00:34
“He is an absolute threat in the cruiserweight division, he will set crowds alight.”
Modini also revealed he is eyeing off a bout with fellow cruiserweight and superstar Jai Opetaia.
“The last few years I have been thinking about a fight with Jai Opetaia,” he said.
“One day we will cross path and make it a super fight for Australia.
“When that time comes, I will make sure I’m ready for him.”
TALIVAA’S UGLY BARRAGE
That was nasty.
Liam Talivaa was hammering Demsey McKean in their heavyweight bout, but he wouldn’t go down.
“Credit to McKean, he took some big shots… but then he showed his skill,” Danny Green said.
And show his skill he did, taking back the momentum when Talivaa tired before finishing the fight in the fourth via TKO with some damaging blows.
“A memorable, albeit brief, all-out war,” Ben Damon said.
“That was crazy.”
ROSE BACKS PARO GAMBLE
No Limit CEO George Rose has backed his decision to gamble more than $1 million on Liam Paro, joking the Queenslander will earn himself “a trillion dollar valuation” once he wins the IBF welterweight title.
Back in February, Fox Sports Australia revealed how the Australian promoters had landed the nation’s biggest ever purse bid to secure Paro a shock title challenge in his own backyard – with their $1.12 million offer beating Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom by just $27,000.
“But I believe in Liam Paro,” Rose said this week.
“And that’s why we’re putting it all on the line. Because remember, we’ve come from nothing too. We’re not rolling in money but we believe in Liam Paro.
“And we believe having the fight in his backyard makes a massive difference. [Laughs] Plus once Liam Paro wins the IBF crown, he’s got a trillion dollar valuation. Rolly Romero, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia … they’re life changing fights, life changing money and life changing opportunity. A win gets him the belt, and the belt opens every door in that division.”
Paro (27-1, 16 KOs) enters as the mandatory challenger to the unbeaten Northern Irishman Crocker (22-0, 11 KOs), who will make the first defence of the title he won earlier this year.
The Belfast fighter is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and arrives in Australia determined to spoil the hometown party.
It’s been a whirlwind few months for the Queenslander. Paro was originally scheduled to face fellow Irishman Paddy Donovan in a world-title eliminator on the undercard of Nikita Tszyu’s showdown with Michael Zerafa before Donovan was forced out through injury, opening the door to a title shot against Crocker.
The card also features several intriguing support bouts, including a heavyweight grudge match between former NRL enforcers Nelson Asofa-Solomona and George Burgess.
Heavy-hitting cruiserweight Luke Modini also returns to the ring for his biggest test yet, while Demsey McKean and Liam Talivaa square off in a fascinating heavyweight matchup.
Ivic PUMMELS Tialu to get TKO | 00:27
CHAMP’S HEAVYWEIGHT STATEMENT
Stevan Ivic has delivered a statement display, downing Caleb Tialu in a heavyweight bout to open the main card.
Ivic, who is the current Australian heavyweight title-holder, beat his opponent down wih a wave of punches, before a number of body shots saw Tialu unable to continue.
The referee called for the stoppage to secure Ivic’s win, in what was a comprehensive display which marked his first stoppage win in more than three years.
“He’s taken a beating,” Danny Green said.
“When you’re on the side of the face, it’s a different pain… you see black.”
Now, according to The Courier Mail’s Pete Badel, Ivic is lining up a fight with ‘The Bull’.
“He’s a very good technician, he’s not the most powerful,” Pete Badel said.
“Next Brandon Grach I am hearing.”
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