Liam Paro wrote his name into Australian boxing history on Wednesday evening, claiming the IBF welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Lewis Crocker at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane to become the first Australian male fighter to win world titles in two different weight classes since the legendary Jeff Fenech.
All three judges scored the 12-round contest 115-113 in favor of Paro, a result that reflected a competitive fight between a technically superior southpaw and a physically imposing opponent who made the Australian earn every point he accumulated over the course of the night.
A fight that tested Paro to his limits
Paro controlled the majority of the contest with his ring intelligence and southpaw jab, consistently finding angles in close and targeting a chin that his opponent offered him on a recurring basis. His footwork and timing gave him the edge in the exchanges, and he managed the size differential throughout most of the fight with the kind of technical precision that distinguishes experienced world-class fighters.
The narrative shifted in the final round. Crocker, whose punching power had been evident throughout the night in the moments when his heavier shots landed, mounted an ultra-aggressive late assault that opened a cut above Paro’s left eye and threatened to force a dramatic stoppage. A fatigued Paro chose to move, survive, and preserve his lead on the scorecards rather than engage in the kind of firefight that might have suited his opponent. The decision to box rather than brawl proved to be the correct one, and the judges ultimately rewarded his superior work over 12 rounds.
A path back to welterweight glory
The IBF welterweight belt is Paro’s second world title. He first claimed a world championship at super-lightweight in June 2024, traveling to Puerto Rico and upsetting the champion in what was one of Australian boxing’s more celebrated upset victories in recent years. That title was subsequently relinquished in his first defense, where he met a previously unbeaten American contender and came up short.
The loss proved to be a reset rather than an endpoint. Paro regrouped, moved up in weight, and pursued the welterweight title with the same calculated determination that had made him a world champion the first time. His victory over Crocker positions him as a potential participant in welterweight unification conversations, with reports emerging in the hours following the fight suggesting he could be considered for a contest involving other titleholders in the division later this year.
Australian boxing history and what comes next
Paro now stands alongside Fenech, a Boxing Hall of Fame member, as the only Australian male fighters to hold world titles in multiple weight classes. Fenech accumulated three world championships at different weights across a legendary career in the 1980s, and his place in the sport’s history has been secure for decades. Paro’s achievement does not erase that legacy but it places him in the conversation about where he sits in the hierarchy of Australian boxing’s greatest champions.
The supporting card in Brisbane reflected the strength of Australian boxing’s current depth. Several undercard bouts produced notable results across multiple weight classes, and the event as a whole served as a showcase for the country’s domestic talent alongside the headline world title fight.
Paro returns home to Mackay from Brisbane holding championship gold for the second time in his career and with a much larger stage potentially awaiting him as the welterweight division continues to sort out its hierarchy.
