A former titleholder has been given a path toward a potential second reign, while a previous challenger is given another chance to immediately return to the mix.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the IBF has ordered a welterweight title eliminator between Australia’s Liam Paro and Ireland’s Paddy Donovan. The two sides were granted a 15-day negotiation period to reach terms and avoid a purse bid hearing.
Paro, 27-1 (16 KOs), is represented by No Limit Boxing, while Donovan, 14-2 (11 KOs), is currently with Matchroom Boxing, Paro’s former promoter.
Should the fight move forward, the winner will become the mandatory challenger to current IBF 147lbs titlist Lewis Crocker, 22-0 (11 KOs).
A win by Donovan in this scenario would set up a third meeting with the unbeaten Belfast native.
The Andy Lee-guided contender from Limerick is 0-2 in his current series with Crocker. Donovan was considered unlucky to be dealt a disqualification defeat in their first meeting. Their March 1 clash at Belfast’s SSE Arena saw Donovan lead on all three scorecards (69-63, 69-63, 67-65) and legitimately floored Crocker in the eighth.
However, the 26-year-old southpaw also lost two points by that point – use of his elbow in the sixth and leading with his head in the wild eighth round. Things went from bad to worse by round’s end – a fraction of a second after, in fact.
Donovan floored Crocker with a right hook, marginally after the bell sounded. Referee Marcus McDonnell was horribly out of position and not even in the frame (for those who streamed the fight on DAZN) when the bell sounded or when Donovan landed the punch.
Their September 13 rematch at Belfast’s Windsor Park was considerably more competitive but still in reach for Donovan. A pair of knockdowns scored by Crocker provided the margin of victory on the scorecards (114-112 and 114-113 Crocker, 115-111 Donovan) to claim the vacant IBF 147lbs title.
Donovan had stopped each of his previous five opponents going into his two-fight series with Crocker.
Paro previously held the IBF 140lbs title.
He claimed the belt in an upset win over Subriel Matias last June on the road in Manati, Puerto Rico. Paro’s lone defense also took place on the island, this time in San Juan where he dropped a 12-round, unanimous decision to unbeaten Richardson Hitchins last December.
The setback also resulted in Paro’s final fight with Matchroom Boxing, ending a near three-year relationship with the global outfit.
Two wins have since followed, both at home in Australia and under the No Limit Boxing banner. In his most recent outing, Paro defeated unbeaten David Papot via unanimous decision atop a September 18 show in Tennyson. The bout was a semifinal eliminator, which allowed Paro to land in the No. 2 spot in the IBF 147lbs rankings; Donovan is one slot lower at No. 3.
