George Kambosos sparks feud with Liam Paro in fiery social media spat

Another bitter Australian boxing rivalry is set to explode as Queensland’s Liam Paro has defended himself after he was sprayed in social media comments by George Kambosos and his dad, Jim.

George Kambosos and Liam Paro are locked in a war of words.

Another bitter Australian boxing rivalry is set to explode as Queensland’s Liam Paro has defended himself after he was sprayed in social media comments by George Kambosos and his dad, Jim.

The blow up has been simmering away for months after the pair were linked to a fight when Paro held the IBF super-lightweight world title last year.

Paro – who scored one of the most memorable boilovers of 2024 when he upset Subriel Matias for the title – went on to lose it in a split decision to slick American Richardson Hitchens.

Hitchens is now set to make his first defence of the belt against former unified lightweight champion Kambosos at the Madison Square Garden Theatre on June 14.

When asked by Ben Damon for his prediction on how the fight might go, Paro gave an honest answer.

“If not a 12 round shut out, I’ll be putting money on George to not see the final bell,” said Paro, who returns to action on June 25 in Cairns against Jonathan Navarro (18-1).

“Hitchens gets it done. I’m a man of my word, I don’t talk nonsense, I say it how it is.

“I think he’s going to get pretty beaten up in there.”

It didn’t take long for George and Jim to fire back in the comments section of the video, which was posted to the Main Event Instagram page.

“How un-Australian good to see your real colours mate,” George wrote. “I backed you like I back every Aussie, I guess got jealous signed with a bunch of cowboys and the real hate comes out, no wonder you unfollowed me, good for you guys 😘 god bless.”

George Kambosos in action against Jake Wyllie. Picture: Supplied

Jim added: “Never was a real supportive Australian, just faked it and now that he has no Title Belt because of poor management and badly handled negotiations is allowing the clowns at MAINEVENT to plaster his real thoughts on social media and try to get some click bait as he is a forgotten former champion.”

Paro hit back when speaking to Code Sports on Thursday evening.

“That’s my point of view, and people don’t have to agree,” he said. “We’re in a country where you have freedom of speech.

“I’m not gonna bluff a comment or say something that I don’t believe. That’s just not who I am.

“That’s not how I was bought up.

“I’m just saying it how I see it. Nothing personal. I just think that’s the way the fight will pan out.

“Of course, I always back the Aussies, but at the same time, I’m just being real. It could be right, it could be wrong.”

Part of Kambosos’ appeal is his willingness to speak his mind, but Paro says he must be able to take it as well.

Liam Paro congratulates Richardson Hitchens after their super-lightweight world title fight in Puerto Rico. Picture: Melina Pizano/Matchroom

“In a previous comment, he said that he was living in my head rent free, so, if you’re gonna have a dig at me, I’m gonna have a dig back,” he said.

“That’s just the way it is.”

Paro is uniquely placed to comment, having spent 36 minutes opposite Hitchens with a world title on the line.

“I’ve shared the ring with Hitchens, and I truly believe Hitchens will do it comfortably,” he said. “That’s not me not backing another Aussie, it’s just my opinion about the fight.

“I lost a split decision in a very close fight, so I know what the guy has, and I’m just stating it how it is.

“He can go out and prove me wrong.”

Paro is looking to take down any of the current super-lightweight world champions from Rolly Romero, Teofimo Lopez or Albert Puello.

But he says a fight between himself and Kambosos would rival the two grudge matches between Anthony Mundine and Danny Green back in the day.

“We’re in the same division now, and we both wanna be the best,” he said of Kambosos. “We’ve always supported each other, but now he’s in my division, we’re rivals, so we can settle it.

“People like drama, and if it’s a potential fight down the track, it’s gonna put a lot more bums on seats as a grudge match than two mates having a crack.

“Look at the hype that Green and Mundine had, it’s just the way it is. It can be as big as that.

“People love drama, that’s why Home and Away is still around after all these years. It’s entertainment.”

Originally published as George Kambosos sparks feud with Liam Paro in fiery social media spat