Liam Paro will defend his IBF super lightweight title for the first time against Richardson Hitchins in Puerto Rico on December 7.
The Australian caught the boxing world’s attention when he won the title in June, but he faces a tough test in a clash of two unbeaten fighters.
Hitchins Aiming to Dethrone Aussie Star
Paroclaimed a unanimous decisionover Subriel Matias to take the title and will fancy his chances of following up when he faces Hitchins.
The 28-year-old slipped jabs with the lightness and effectiveness of an elite boxer and constantly found ways through Matias’ weak high guard.
Paro created lovely angles to work from and mixed up his shots to great effect. He showed excellent fight IQ and made it difficult for Matias to find his range quickly.
Despite the Puerto Rican fighter bouncing back in the middle rounds, Paro showed good defence and clinical boxing to seal the win.
Hitchins is next on the agenda. He is defensive, but makes his style work. While he lacks knockout power, he makes up for it with excellent boxing acumen.
However, the Australian’s relentless pressure could cause him plenty of problems. His conditioning needs to be elite or he could get dragged into deep waters.
The pair have been trading words over the past few weeks. Paro parried Hitchins’ latest verbal jabs, calling him an insecure fighter who hides behind trash talk.
The Australian is the bookmakers’ favourite to retain his title and it would be a brave to move to back against him ending the year on a high note.
Aussie boxing fans wagered heavily on Paro in his last fight and will be hitting the top betting apps in Australia hard ahead of his clash with Hitchins.
Paros Eager to Make a Name for Himself Next Year
This fight on December 7 is Paro’s fourth outside his native Australia. His star is beginning to shine internationally, and he is building a solid reputation as one of the best in his division.
His debut in the US was a success as he defeated Yomar Alamo by a split decision before delivering an impressive knockout win against Montana Love in San Francisco.
Fight fans are keen to see whether he can sustain this momentum against an opponentwho will likely try to frustrate his typically high tempo.
A win over Hitchins will potentially lead to bigger fights for Paro in 2025, and he has some elite names on his radar. Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez are being targeted as possible opponents.
Haney is a popular figure in Australia following his fights with George Kambosos Jr, and he could be looking for redemptionafter his now-no-contest loss to Ryan Garcia in April.
Garcia won via majority decision, but the fight was declared a no contest after the Mexican recorded a positive drug test. Haney retained his title.
Lopez is another former lightweight champion and could be an option for Paro next spring. The American is an aggressive puncher, and the pair would probably deliver a fight-of-the-year contender.
However, if Kambosos Jr moves up to super lightweight as he has been teasing, it could set the stage for a mega showdown in Australia between two of the country’s top boxing stars.
If he retains his IBF belt against Hitchins, Paro can draw a top name to the negotiating table for a big fight as he bids to break into the elite bracket of his division.
The stars are aligning for Paro and Australian boxing fans will be hoping he can continue his stellar rise up the ranks over the next couple of years.
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