No Limit Boxing confirms former world champion Liam Paro will challenge IBF World Welterweight Champion Lewis Crocker on Wednesday, June 24 at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane.
The long-awaited world title showdown comes after No Limit Boxing secured promotional rights to the fight earlier this year, submitting the highest-ever purse bid from an Australian-based promoter, with Crocker’s recovery from injury delaying the confirmation of a final date and venue.
Now locked in, the blockbuster event will see undefeated Belfast champion Crocker travel to Australia for the first defence of the IBF world title he won in front of more than 16,000 fans at Windsor Park earlier this year, while Queensland’s Paro looks to become just the second Australian-born male fighter behind the legendary Jeff Fenech to win world titles in multiple weight divisions and the first-ever Queenslander to become a two-division world champion.
The 30-year-old Paro (27-1, 16 KOs) will enter this fight looking to become a two-division world champion after earning his mandatory position with a unanimous decision victory over David Papot in an IBF welterweight title eliminator at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane last September. That victory came less than three months after Paro made his welterweight debut in Cairns, stopping Jonathan Navarro after five dominant rounds in his first fight since losing the IBF World Super Lightweight World Title to Richardson Hitchins by split decision in Puerto Rico in December 2024.
Paro had captured that world championship six months earlier when he travelled to Manati, Puerto Rico and defeated feared knockout artist Subriel Matias by unanimous decision in one of the great modern wins by an Australian fighter on foreign soil. Before becoming world champion, Paro built his unbeaten record with victories over Montana Love, Brock Jarvis and Yomar Alamo. A native of Mackay in regional Queensland, Paro fights southpaw and now returns to Brisbane with the chance to join Jeff Fenech as one of the only Australian-born male fighters to win recognised world titles in multiple divisions.
Former world champion Liam Paro said the opportunity to become a two-division world champion in Australia was the perfect next chapter in his career.
“I’m ready to make Australian boxing history,” Paro said
“It’s the kind of moment you dream about as a kid. To fight for another world title at home in Australia is massive, but there’s no easy road here. Crocker is undefeated and champion for a reason, and he’s coming in full of confidence. But I’ve built my career the hard way. I’ve travelled the world, fought in hostile environments and already beaten one of the most dangerous champions in boxing. I truly believe I’m levels above anyone he has faced and I can’t wait to make history on June 24 in Brisbane.”
The 29-year-old Crocker (22-0, 11 KOs) will make the first defence of his IBF World Welterweight Title after defeating Paddy Donovan by split decision at Windsor Park in Belfast last September. Crocker dropped Donovan twice in the rematch to claim the vacant title, with two judges scoring the fight 114-112 and 114-113 in his favour, while the third had it 115-111 for Donovan. The victory came six months after Crocker won their controversial first meeting by disqualification in an IBF final eliminator, when Donovan was ruled to have landed after the bell at the end of the eighth round.
Before the two Donovan fights, Crocker had built his undefeated record with victories over Conah Walker, Jose Felix Jr. and Tyrone McKenna, the latter coming in the “Battle of Belfast” in December 2023. A native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Crocker fights orthodox and is known as “The Croc.”
No Limit Boxing CEO George Rose said the fight was exactly the kind of event Australian boxing had been demanding.
“This is a proper world title fight between two guys right in the middle of their prime and both believe they’re about to take over the division,” Rose said.
“You’ve got Liam Paro, who has already gone overseas and done what most fighters only talk about doing. He went into Puerto Rico against one of the most avoided fighters in world boxing and ripped the belt away from him.
“Then on the other side, you’ve got Lewis Crocker, undefeated, world champion, massive support behind him in Ireland and coming here with absolutely zero fear about fighting Liam in Australia. This isn’t smoke and mirrors. This isn’t a manufactured fight. These are two legitimate world-level fighters risking everything. We won the purse bid because we believed this fight belonged in Australia, and now Brisbane gets a world title event that will absolutely deliver.”
* Information via media release from No Limit Boxing *