Live coverage of Liam Paro v Jonathan Navarro and Liam Wilson v Ayrton Gimenez fights
Liam Paro has destroyed Jonathan Navarro to bounce back into the winner’s circle, as he and Liam Wilson kept their world title hopes alive. Relive the action live here.
In his first fight back in North Queensland in a decade, the Mackay fighter showed the power and precision that saw him win the IBF super-lightweight world title last year.
The southpaw’s impressive win will propel him up the WBO rankings, and with current super-lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez rumoured to be moving up to welterweight, Paro could land a shot at the vacant belt later this year.
Paro was in control from the outset, but really began pushing the pace in the fourth round, as Navarro kept retreating towards the ropes.
A perfectly thrown left hand saw Navarro crumble to the canvas in the fifth, and Paro absolutely mauled the overmatched American, who was saved by the bell and saw out the round.
His corner had seen enough though, and pulled their bloodied fighter out, giving Paro his statement homecoming victory.
Navarro walked out of the ring with a fractured nose, and possibly a fractured orbital as the result of Paro’s attack.
“North Queensland, I’m back!” Paro said after the win. “I’ve made my statement, I want to get back to the top position.
“There’s levels to this, and I want to cement my place at the top.
“There’s always things to improve, we had a great camp. It feels to be back on home soil, hopefully it’s the first of many, especially in North Queensland. I want to win a world title in front of you.”
Paro also wants to get revenge on Richardson Hitchens, who beat him in a split decision for the IBF belt in December.
“I want to win a world title. I want another belt. I want to avenge my loss.
“Life has given me the opportunity to move forward and show how much of a champion I am in adversity.
“I’m ready to prove the critics wrong.”
In the co-main event, Liam Wilson scored a frustrating 10-round decision win over Argentina’s Ayrton Gimenez.
Gimenez spent most of the fight on his bike, but was dangerous when he engaged.
There were some bizarre moments post-fight as Gimenez celebrated wildly with his team before the judges gave Wilson a unanimous decision win with scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94.
It was unclear whether crowd was booing the result or Gimenez’s antics.
Meanwhile, rising star Callum Peters didn’t even need one round to see off late-notice replacement Luca Lanigan.
A short right hand to the jaw sent Lanigan to the floor barely 30 seconds into the round.
The Cairns local got up and kept throwing, but was back down again 30 seconds later courtesy of a straight right hand.
Somehow he got back up a second time, but another right hand dropped him again and ended the fight.
Peters made no mistakes in what could have been a tricky fight.
As of late Sunday night, the South Australian was off the card after two opponents pulled out.
Lanigan answered an SOS call on Monday morning though, allowing Peters to step into the ring for the third time as a professional.
Minutes after his third professional win, Peters called out Xavier Fletcher – who he beat in the amateurs – for a professional bout. The Paris Olympics star also singled out Max McIntyre and Jack Bowen.
Peters will now turn his attention back to the amateur ranks as he starts preparation for the World Championships in September.
Relive the action from the Cairns Convention Centre in our live blog below.
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Originally published as Live coverage of Liam Paro v Jonathan Navarro and Liam Wilson v Ayrton Gimenez fights
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