3 minute read

Liam Paro hopes an Australian world title unification will follow if he defends his boxing super-lightweight belt in Puerto Rico next month.

Road warrior Liam Paro has dangled the prospect of a world title unification in Australia as he prepares to defend his belt in Puerto Rico.

The 28-year-old Queenslander (25-0) will fight American Richardson Hitchins (18-0) in San Juan on December 7.

It's a mandatory defence of the IBF super-lightweight belt he claimed in an impressive upset of heavily-favoured Puerto Rican champion Subrial Matias in his own backyard in June.

Before that the Mackay product dominated Montana Love in San Franciso to put himself in the picture for a world title shot.

Paro, preparing in Miami ahead of his first defence, came face-to-face for the first time with Hitchins in Philadelphia on the weekend.

The Australian had hoped to unify belts with his next fight, while discussions for an Australian duel with Devin Haney broke down when Paro said the American had demanded "silly money".

"There was a lot of talks with the big names but nobody biting so we decided to put on our mandatory," Paro said.

"All respect to him (Hitchins); he's the mandatory and I was bound to face him sooner or later so we called it on.

"I'm going to set the pace and see if he can keep up.

"We're going to let him know he's in a dog fight early."

Paro is sure he earned some Puerto Rican fans after felling the local hero earlier this year.

But he is yearning for a home crowd of his own, considering it's been more than two years since a brutal Brisbane knockout of Brock Jarvis in his last appearance.

"I took out the big bad killer, the Boogey Man that nobody wanted to fight ... in his own backyard," he said.

"I want the other belts. I don't care what order. I want them all."

Paro is trained by Alfie Di Carlo in Brisbane but promoted by Brit Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.

Hearn also promotes fellow Australian world boxing champions Sky Nicolson and Jai Opetaia as well as unbeaten heavyweight Justis Huni and Brisbane-based Irish light heavyweight prospect Conor Wallace.

"I get the job done on December 7, then a big homecoming is in play," Paro said. 

"There's some tremendous Australian fighters signed with Matchroom; it could be a massive card there and it's closer than everyone thinks. 

"It's good we are finally getting the recognition we deserve, the world's starting to see."