Home Boxing News Liam Paro wants world title shot in 2021

Liam Paro wants world title shot in 2021

Liam Paro

WBO number two and IBF number three junior welterweight contender Liam ‘The Prodigy’ Paro 19-0 (12) wants a world title shot next year and he doesn’t care who it comes against.

Scotland’s Josh Taylor 17-0 (13) holds the WBA and IBF titles while Californian Jose Carlos Ramirez 26-0 (17) is the WBC and WBO titleholder. They are expected to clash in a unification bout in their next fight.

The 24-year-old Australian southpaw believes he is ready for anyone in the deep 140-pound division.

“I want a world title in 2021. It’s simple as that, really. My team feels I’m ready for the world title. I’m sitting high in the ratings, so I want to make these fights happen,” Paro said to Eastside Boxing.

“I know Ramirez and Taylor are unifying, but I’d like to fight someone like Jack Catterall for one of the titles if they vacate. I mean that with respect, Jack is a class act, but if there’s a chance of us competing for a world interim title, I would be all for that.

“I believe in myself. I believe I can be world champion and I believe I can beat the best fighters out there. I’m in the business to be in great fights that the fans love, so I’m excited for the team to make these fights happen.

“I’m in a great position now thanks to ACE Boxing, and I can’t express how grateful I am to them for doing that. I want to repay their faith in me by delivering a world title to the team, and I’m fully confident I can do that next year.”

Brisbane’s Paro is coming off and eighth-round knockout of previously undefeated Romanian James Chereji on the Gold Coast in March.

Last year he fought three times, scoring wide decision wins over Italian Massimiliano Ballisai, Turk Fatih Keles and South Korean Hwang Kil Kim.

Paro is part of one of the strongest boxing stables in Australia that also includes world ranked heavyweight Demsey ‘The Tower of Terror’ McKean and IBF number 12 lightweight Jacob ‘The Flamingo’ Ng.

ACE Boxing boss Angelo Di Carlo says he has big plans for the trio in 2021.

“We’ve been working very hard behind the scenes during the pandemic and I’m sure it will pay off massively in 2021,” Di Carlo said. “Liam is at the forefront of the plans for 2021 and some massive plans for Australian boxing as a whole.

“We want to bring world title fights to Australia and we have sent offers out there for these types of fights.

“We will get these fights over the line and get the likes of Liam Paro, Jacob Ng and Demsey McKean these big fights and put on some big events post-pandemic for the Australian fight fans to enjoy.”