Mackay young gun Liam Paro eyes a maiden world title with fight against Jose Carlos Ramirez

Liam Paro was devastated by the tragic death of his good mate, Cowboys rookie Regan Grieve, in 2015. Now he is set to honour his mate by fighting for a world title, possibly in Townsville.

Liam Paro wants to bring a world title fight to Australia. Picture: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFP

Queensland young gun Liam Paro is on the verge of a life-changing $1 million payday as he looks to emulate George Kambosos Jnr by clinching a world-title shot.

News Corp can reveal Paro’s management is in negotiations to fight for the WBO super lightweight title — six years after the lightning-quick mauler from Mackay set out on his journey to conquer the world.

With division champion Josh Taylor to move up to the welterweight ranks, WBO No. 1 contender Paro and newly-minted No. 2 Jose Carlos Ramirez are in talks for the biggest fight of the Australian‘s career.

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Kambosos Jnr will take on Devin Haney for their unification super fight on June 5 in Melbourne and the undefeated Paro (22-0, 13KO) will join Michael Zerafa and Tim Tszyu as Aussies primed for world-title shots.

Paro’s promotion stable Matchroom are in talks with Ramirez’s Top Rank camp to stage a world-title fight in August or September. They are exploring venues in Australia and America, with Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium discussed as one possible venue.

In his first professional fight in 2016, Paro pocketed $2000 for beating Jacob Mahoney at the Mansfield Tavern.

Super lightweight star Liam Paro is unbeaten from 22 professional fights.

Now, his world-title debut will make Paro, 26, a Mackay millionaire and propel him onto the global stage if he can dispose of ‘Jaguar’ Ramirez, the slick American who has lost just once in 28 career fights.

“It’s a huge moment for Liam, it will be a world-title fight,” said his manager Angelo Di Carlo.

“It’s another significant moment for Australian boxing on the back of what George Kambosos achieved (with his defeat of Teofimo Lopez last November).

“We’re in preliminary talks because Taylor hasn’t yet relinquished his titles, but we all know that’s what he is doing and when he steps out of the division, Liam’s next fight will be a world-title against Ramirez.

“Liam has made so many sacrifices. He was barely making any money to support himself when he started out, but this fight can set him up for life.

“It’s a great reward for all the hard work he has put in. A win will open up so many doors for him on the world stage.”

Queensland Country Bank has previously hosted a major fight, with Tszyu clobbering Jeff Horn in August 2020 in a victory that announced him as the rising star of Australian boxing.

A world-title fight in Townsville would have extra meaning for Paro given that one of his closest mates was Cowboys NRL hopeful Regan Grieve, who tragically took his life in 2015.

Paro has dreams to emulate George Kambosos Jnr (pictured) by winning a world title.

Grieve and Paro played junior football together in Mackay. After Grieve’s shock death, Paro had the words “Conquer the World” tattooed on his rib cage. He had the artwork done after carrying Grieve’s coffin at their old footy ground.

When he walks into the ring to face Ramirez, Grieve’s spirit will be with Paro.

“Regan’s death devastated me,’’ Paro told News Corp in 2018.

“We played for the Magpies together. Regan was signed by the Cowboys and I went up there (to Townsville) to train in boxing with Mark Flanagan and Dennis Clancy.

“I can’t tell you how much it hurt when I had to carry my best friend’s coffin and help bury him, especially when he was just 18 and had so much going for him.

“I hope the message on my ribs reminds people of his life and how important it was and how we all have to fight to prevent youth suicide.”

In his most recent fight in December, Paro overcame a first-round knockdown to win a split-decision over Yomar Alamo. It was his first fight on American soil, giving Di Carlo confidence Paro would not be daunted by a world-title baptism offshore.

“People in Australia don’t understand the class he has and what an athlete he is,” he said. ”There are only two or three fighters in this country who have Liam’s ability and now he will get his big chance to win a world title.

“Liam deserves it, he has worked hard for it and he is jumping out of his skin. He couldn’t care who he fights. He will back himself to win a world title.”

‘WHAT’S TIMMY DOING’: ZERAFA WANTS TSZYU

Michael Zerafa silenced his critics as the villain of Australian boxing clinched a world-title shot with a stunning second-round stoppage of Issac Hardman on Wednesday night.

After an explosive build-up marred by sledges and racial slurs, the polarising Zerafa was more devastating with his fists, hammering the ‘Headsplitter’ to post one of the most emphatic victories of his career.

Hardman entered the fight with an unbeaten 12-0 record and he was backing his power-packed right-hand to dispose of the ‘Pretty Boy’ in their world-title eliminator.

But Zerafa bludgeoned Hardman, dominating their spiteful grudge match with a volley of punches, none better than the sweetly-timed left hook which dropped the Queenslander 60 seconds into the second round.

Zerafa (30-4, 19KO) then went for the jugular, finishing off a stumbling Hardman to seal a world-title shot against Brazilian Esquiva Falcao (29-0) for the soon-to-be vacated IBF middleweight crown.

Michael Zerafa stopped Isaac Hardman in the second round.

The trash-talking Zerafa then wasted no time reigniting his bitter feud with Tim Tszyu, goading his fellow world-title aspirant by declaring: “Timmy Tszyu, we got a world-title shot next. What’s Timmy doing?”

Zerafa became the most reviled man in Australian boxing following his shock withdrawal against Tszyu last July but he admitted the venomous backlash underpinned his ruthless belting of Hardman (12-1, 10KO).

Now he could conquer the world.

“I didn’t do this for me, for all the haters … thank you,” he said.

“There was a lot of animosity between me and Hardman, but I was the better man on the night.

“He is getting married in two weeks and I wish him nothing but love.”

This was a supreme performance from Zerafa. He had fought just five rounds in 28 months since his epic loss to Jeff Horn in their Brisbane bloodbath, but when it mattered, the Maltese mauler summoned his 34 fights of experience to outclass Hardman.

From the bell, Zerafa was simply fitter, faster and sharper as the raw and rugged Hardman struggled with the step up in class.

“I knew my experience would count,” the 30-year-old Zerafa said. “He was making mistakes. I knew what needed to be done and that my experience would beat him. I look forward to seeing him in a rematch if he wants one.

“It’s my night tonight and I knew it all along.

“The world-title is coming up next and I’m bringing it back to Melbourne.”

Hardman hit the deck in the second round after Zerafa “punched my f***ing head in”.

Hardman was watchful in the opening 60 seconds and looked cumbersome in the first round, struggling to land a clean shot as the quick-stepping Zerafa started with greater precision.

The former MMA mauler was confident of going the distance with Zerafa, but the Pretty Boy’s experience, fitness and composure saw him inflict the first defeat of the Headsplitter’s career.

“He got me, plain and simple,” Hardman said.

“I won’t make excuses. You win some, you lose some and I hope he goes on and wins the world title.

“We got in here and the fleabag punched my f***ing head in.

“I am 25 years old and I will keep boxing till I’m 33 and win a world title one day.”

In the co-main event, Cherneka Johnson (14-1) became Australia’s newest world champion, claiming the vacant IBF super bantamweight title with a gutsy defeat of Mexican Melissa Esquivel (12-3-1).

The 10-round slugfest went down to the wire, with Melbourne-based ‘Sugar’ Johnson edging out Esquivel to clinch a split decision (97-93, 96-94, 95-96).

Originally published as Mackay young gun Liam Paro eyes a maiden world title with fight against Jose Carlos Ramirez