‘Mackay Mauler’ Liam Paro puts super lightweight division on notice with career-defining win

Queensland’s Liam Paro has hit the big time with a six-round super lightweight win over American Montana Love which has filled the ‘Mackay Mauler’ full of confidence.

Lethal Liam Paro has rocketed into world-title contention after the Australian boxing sensation hit the big time in America by recording the greatest win of his career.

The Mackay mauler put the super lightweight division on notice with a stunning sixth-round stoppage of highly-rated American Montana Love (18-2-1, 9KO) on Sunday.

The unbeaten 27-year-old was fighting as the main support act to the Devin Haney-Regis Prograis world-title blockbuster at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Haney - the man who dethroned Australia’s George Kambosos at lightweight last year - underlined his greatness, ‘The Dream’ tormenting Prograis in a 12-round masterclass to become a two-division world champion.

Paro with a left hook to Montana during the win. Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP

But ‘The Prodigy’ made a statement of his own by slicing-and-dicing Love, moving to 24-0 - the same imperious record as Tim Tszyu - as he clinched the WBO global super lightweight belt.

Sidelined for 14 months following twin injury battles, Paro returned to the ring in devastating touch, dropping Love with a savage uppercut early in the sixth round before another straight left sent ‘Too Pretty’ crashing to the canvas again.

Love desperately tried to survive, but Paro unleashed a barrage of blows to prompt the referee to wave the contest off and put the Queenslander in the frame for a debut world-title shot.

Paro was meant to fight Prograis for the WBC world title in July - only for injury to rob him of the chance - but the Australian is keen for a crack at Haney after his lashing of Love.

“I belong at the top and I’m coming for all the belts,” Paro declared after his career-best display.

“I said it before the fight, I want the winner of the main event (Haney).

“I have been ready for a world-title shot for a while now.

“This win has cemented my spot at the top of this division, so give me the best names.

“I am back - bring on a world title.”

Based on Haney’s remarkable debut at 140, Paro would be a rank outsider, but the classy southpaw would relish a belated world-title shot.

Former two-time world champion Shawn Porter lauded Paro, saying he deserves to be on the same pedestal as Tszyu as a poster boy for Australian boxing.

“I like what I see,” Porter said in DAZN commentary. “This kid can be marketable. He is good looking, speaks well and most importantly he can fight.

“I would love to see Liam Paro stay busy and on more cards.”

Paro said he had been to “hell and back” over the past year.

He had two big bouts against Prograis and Robbie Davies Jr wiped out due to injuries, leaving him in a mentally dark place after he underlined his world-class talent with a brutal first-round knockout of fellow Australian Brock Jarvis in Brisbane in October 2022.

Paro celebrates the defining victory over Love on Sunday. Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Love was looking to atone for his disqualification loss to Paro’s countryman Steve Spark last November, when he threw the Queenslander over the ropes, but once again, ‘Too Pretty’ was ambushed by an Aussie.

Paro looked comfortable from the outset, troubling Love with his speed, movement, timing, power and ring craft.

The Aussie outsider stepped up the pace in the fifth, catching Love with a series of precise punches, and then came the decisive sixth round that buried the American.

Love was stunned by the speed of Paro’s uppercut which floored him and while he beat the count, the cocky pugilist from Cleveland was in tatters when the kid from Mackay crunched him again with a sweet straight left.

“I was figuring out how to execute the win,” Paro said. “Montana is a good boxer but I said I would match him and I kept turning her screws every round.

“The uppercut I got him with was beautiful ... it’s good to be back after 14 months out of the ring.”

Paro’s sweet moment was soured by the demise of fellow Australian Ebanie Bridges, who lost her world title after being outclassed by Japan’s Miyo Yoshida to suffer a unanimous points (99-91 x 2, 97-93) defeat.

Sydney-born Bridges (9-2, 4KO) showed great heart to survive the 10 rounds, but struggled to land as Yoshida (17-4) broke the ‘Blonde Bomber’ with her powerful right hand.