Liam Paro wants Queensland homecoming after he ‘beat two people’ in heroic world title fight victory

Liam Paro wants to unify the super-lightweight division, and on home soil, but had some choice words for the referee who nearly derailed his plans.

Liam Paro is planning an epic homecoming. Picture: Melina Pizano/Matchroom

Newly crowned world champion Liam Paro wants to unify the super-lightweight division with a blockbuster fight in Queensland later this year.

Speaking for the first time since his heroic win over Subriel Matias in Puerto Rico, Paro also said he felt like he had to fight against Matias and the referee in his underdog world title triumph.

Paro has spent the past 10 days celebrating becoming Australia’s newest world champion, but, speaking from Las Vegas, said he’ll be back in the gym next week in preparation for a title defence.

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And the proud Queenslander says he wants it to be in front of his home fans.

“Definitely in Queensland – Brisbane, Mackay, Townsville – we’ll sort it out,” Paro told this masthead. “I’m just keen to get the big fights there.

“The Aussie fans deserve it. We’re diehard fight fans. I’ve been on the road doing the hard yards overseas, so now it’s time they can all come to my backyard.

“I’m happiest when I’m in camp and training, so one hundred per cent I want to go before the end of the year. October, November – even September.”

Nothing but respect between Subriel Matias and Liam Paro after the fight. Picture: Amanda Westcott/Matchroom

Some of boxing’s biggest names, including Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez, are in Paro’s 140-pound division.

The 28-year-old will have a mandatory challenger in Richardson Hitchins, while there has also been talk of a rematch with Matias.

But Paro just has eyes for the belts and the big names.

“I’ve done a fair bit of sparring with Devin Haney here in Vegas,” he said. “He was first on the hit list, but he’s just relinquished his belt.

“He was the biggest name on the list, but it’s whoever’s got the belt now.

“I want them all, and I want to bring the biggest fights to Australia, so let’s unify there.”

Liam Paro’s win is one of the best in Australian boxing history. Picture: Amanda Westcott/Matchroom

The odds were stacked against Paro against Matias in the champion’s home country, and to make matters worse, the referee for the fight, Luis Pabon, was dreadful.

Pabon began warning Paro for non-existent fouls in just the second round, and told him to “show some respect” after the fourth frame.

His worst moment came in the seventh round when he deducted a point from the Aussie for a rabbit punch.

“He was on my case early,” Paro remembers. “On the breaks, he was pushing me the whole time and was letting Matias get on the front foot – I don’t think he even looked at him once.

“I just had my mind on the job and it made the victory so much sweeter.

Liam Paro didn’t get any favours from referee Luis Pabon. Picture: Amanda Westcott/Matchroom

“People keep asking me how I wasn’t losing it, but I had a hell of a fighter in front of me, so my mind was on the job.

“I was getting hit with rabbit punches too, so it was hard. He was looking for anything to pull me up on, he didn’t give me a warning before taking the point.

“I beat two people that night.

“I’d be happy to never see him again. He was even dirty about lifting my hand up in victory. He tried his best to spoil my party, but I rained on his parade.”

Despite putting in the performance of a lifetime, Paro felt – considering the way the referee handled the fight – that the judges were going to rob him as well.

“We’ve seen some horrible calls in boxing lately, and I was confident I did enough,” he said. “But we’re in Puerto Rico against the champion, plus the ref.

“But it was too one-sided, they couldn’t do me dirty like that.”

Originally published as Liam Paro wants Queensland homecoming after he ‘beat two people’ in heroic world title fight victory