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Liam Paro’s story is just beginning

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YOU work rigid for 12 weeks, even harder for 12 rounds, and then suddenly it’s over. The work is over, the fight is over, and all you can do at the end is hope that you got the result you deserve; a result that is worthy of all the rigid work.

For Australian Liam Paro, currently resting in Las Vegas, the sudden halt in action and work has been as jarring as it has been welcome. It all came to a predictable halt the moment he raised his hand after 12 rounds with Subriel Matias last month. Since then, he has done what he can – first in the Bahamas and now in Las Vegas – to resist the temptation to get back to work and return to the factory settings.

“It’s still sinking in, but it’s becoming more and more real with each passing day,” he said. Boxing News from a hotel room in Vegas. “We spent a week in the Bahamas, me and my partner, and it was just to wind down and relax. I was on a seafood diet and it was good. It was a tough 12-week boot camp and now I’m just relaxing.

“It’s thrilling, you know? It’s been 10 days [since the fight] and now I’m ready for the next one.”

June 15, 2024; Manati, Puerto Rico, USA; Subriel Matias and Liam Paro fight at Coliseo Juan Aubín Cruz Abreu in Manati, Puerto Rico. Mandatory Credit: (Photo: Amanda Westcott/Matchroom.)

In “next,” Liam Paro will enter the ring the same but different. That means he’ll bring the same work ethic and attitude he always does, only this time, and for the first time, he’ll be bolstered by the IBF super lightweight title, a prize for defeating Matias, the favorite, in Puerto Rico on June 15.

“I always dreamed of being a world champion,” he said. “Even when I was 13, I was sitting on the bench and telling my mom I was going to be a world champion. I think it was after my first year of boxing and I only had a few amateur fights. Everything I do, I always aim as high as I can. I try to dream as high as I can. Aim for the stars and shoot for the moon. I’ve always approached it that way.”

At 13, he gave his word to his mother. Shortly after, he gave it to someone else. That person, a close childhood friend of Paro’s, tragically took his own life in 2015, aged just 18. His name was Regan Grieve, and it was to him that Paro dedicated his first world title.

“We were best friends growing up, and he was always around,” said Paro, who has Regan’s initials, date of birth and date of death, and the words “Conquer the World” tattooed on his ribs. “The worst day of my life was carrying my best friend in the casket.”

He continued, “That’s what I mean when I say I’ve been through harder things mentally than those fights. I always try to find something positive in everything and employ that as motivation. There are times when you have to dig deep and I tend to think about that. He was my best friend; like my brother. It was a huge loss. It’s not ideal, you really don’t want that to happen in life, but you just have to employ that as motivation and try to find something positive in every outcome, no matter how rigid it is. That’s what I try to do every day.”

With that burden on his shoulders for so long, both in his heart and mind, Paro’s performance in Puerto Rico becomes all the more impressive. After all, in addition to having the engine and power to keep the home team at bay, Paro also had to keep his emotions in check and make sure he never strayed too far from the game plan he had developed in camp.

“You can’t be emotional and you don’t want to waste any more energy than you have to,” he said. “But I’m always pretty good with pressure. I always do well under pressure. It was more after my hand was raised that all the emotions started flowing. You heard it in the interview after the fight with all the swearing; typical Australian. But it was just raw emotion. All we have in this life is our word, and being my man is what really hits home. That’s the most critical thing for me in all of this.”

Though unbeaten at 25-0, 15 KOs, Paro speaks with the humility and common sense of someone who has been beaten a few times and grown from it. He is confident, yes, but also realistic and free of the delusions of grandeur that often drive other unbeaten fighters entering their first run as world champions.

Liam ​​Paro

Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Whether that’s because Paro, while unbeaten, is no stranger to setbacks is anyone’s guess. But the 28-year-old from Queensland has certainly been affected by his upbringing and won’t be the type to take anything for granted.

“I come from a working class background and was raised that way,” he said. “Nothing good in life comes uncomplicated and I know that. You have to work for the things you want and that’s why I’m humble. I was raised knowing how critical respect is, and respect is very critical to me. Being part of a hard-working family has shaped me into the person I am today and I think that shows on fight night in the way I fight.”

His roots in rugby league also influence the way he trains and fights, albeit on a smaller scale. It was in fact the first sport that caught Paro’s attention as a juvenile boy and to which he was devoted until boxing came along and stole his heart.

“I did both until I got to the U-16s and then it just didn’t work out,” he recalled. “I was losing weight fighting and playing with the people I was playing with and against [in rugby] were getting bigger and bigger. I just had to make a choice and boxing was the obvious choice for me.

“It definitely gives you some kind of endurance. [rugby league]. It’s a tough game. It’s just. It’s rigid contact. It just gets you in that frame of mind early on. But the competitive nature of boxing got me, and I’m glad I chose boxing for the long haul. I had some natural talent for it. I was very green, but once I get my mind around something, I’m just fascinated by it, and that’s still the case with boxing. I’m always learning something recent.”

Even now, as a recent world champion, Liam Paro’s education is far from over. That’s why he wants to get back in the gym as soon as possible, despite the lure of Las Vegas and its dazzling lights. It’s also why he’s already watched and studied his last victory on tape – more than once.

“Yeah,” he said, “I’ve watched it a few times. I watched it properly for the first time two days later and it was good. I was content with the way I fought and a lot of people were excited. I still can’t wrap my head around it, the enormity of it all, but we showed the world what we knew.

“It’s always a little different” [watching it back]. It was a tough fight, for sure. I was really pumped up there. But I knew it was going to be tough. Matias was an incredible champion, and his record speaks for itself. He could also punch. It was the perfect way to win the title, I think. Looking back, I was content with the way I fought.

Not only will he bask in his own brilliance, Paro will revisit his victory over Matias to find out what he did right and what he could have done better if he had the chance to do it all over again. What’s more, like a screenwriter who sees his dialogue come to life through the actors on screen, Paro gets the thrill of seeing everything he and his team have worked on for 12 weeks come to fruition when it’s needed most.

“We knew what we were getting into,” he said. “We knew it was going to be a fast-paced fight and we knew how Matias fought. We stuck to the game plan, and the game plan we had worked perfectly. I executed it the way I needed to to get there.

“I knew he was coming in the middle rounds, but I grew in confidence as the rounds went on. He had power, yes, but not the kind of one-punch power that would get me going. I realized that the longer the fight went on. As a result, I was gaining momentum. I expected him to be forceful, of course, but watching his fights, I also realized that he wasn’t a one-punch guy; it was more of an accumulation.

“He just tends to overwhelm guys and stick to you like a bad smell. He doesn’t give you space if you don’t move. I thought he’d hit a lot more, but the game plan we had was good. I didn’t set it. That was the plan in the beginning. You see all the other guys are in front of him, and then when you let him set his feet and hit, he does damage and it gets really ugly. We never let him do that.”

After this act of defiance, Paro must now do as he is told and stay out of the gym for the foreseeable future. This is his reward—and punishment—for performing so well on his biggest night and training so rigid beforehand. They say it’s a necessary part of his recovery, the comedown. But try telling that to someone who knows only one speed; someone whose hunger has never been greater.

“I definitely want to get back in the gym,” Paro said. “Everyone around me is telling me to relax a little bit, but it’s rigid for me to sit still. I just want to get another belt and beat another opponent. I’m happiest when I’m training in the gym, so I’m hoping for a quick change. Right now, I just want to fight other guys with belts. I think that’s the plan.” [Devin] Haney was the opponent we were after, but he just gave up his [WBC] belt, which means I’ll have to focus on the others. I’m excited to get out on the road and try to unify this division. That’s the pinnacle I want to keep chasing.”

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Boxing

Tyson’s conqueror, Danny Williams, was “never considered” for Morrison

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Kenzie Morrison Danny Williams

World Boxing News has learned that Danny Williams was never considered for a fight against Tommy Morrison’s son Kenzie on November 9.

WBN has learned from a source that Williams was scheduled to face Morrison next month when he returns to action at Firelake Arena in Shawnee. However, promoter Tony Holden confirmed what WBN initially reported, namely that Williams had been offered for the fight.

BoxRec also briefly placed Williams within Morrison’s record on November 9, before removing the former British champion. Williams famously knocked out Mike Tyson in 2004, but has since lived off his victory despite losing his British license more than a decade ago.

Holden, who represents Morrison and is looking for an opponent for the competition in three weeks, explained the situation exclusively to WBN.

“I never confirmed William’s story and I never considered him,” Holden said. “I said no when a local promoter suggested it.”

Williams, 51, last fought in August 202, losing for the 33rd time in his career. With 88 professional fights under his belt, Williams seems unable to turn down a payday despite his advanced age.

Morrison, a power puncher who has stopped 19 of his 21 wins, will look for his next conquest elsewhere. The fight with Mike Balogun remains on the table for 2025 after it was postponed from its original October date.

Balogun, who knocked out Kenzi’s brother Trey in the first round, claimed Morrison was pulled from the fight to spare him the loss.

Holden denies this view.

“Even though this post isn’t up to my standards, I’m going to write it anyway. Mike Balogun falsely claimed that I pulled Kenzie Morrison out of the fight because I was afraid he would lose. Please allow me to correct you, Mr. Balogun,” he stated.

“The decision was not made by Kenzie. Let’s raise the stakes and make it fascinating. If you emerge victorious this month, Kenzie will fight in November.

“We may decide this early next year. If your confidence remains unshaken, we can place a significant bet. Watch Kenzie take revenge on her brother and end your career.

Balogun, a former San Francisco 49ers linebacker, responded to Holden by increasing his salary for a potential collision next year.

“No matter how fair and honorable your decision was, just remember that ‘yesterday’s price is not today’s price,’” said the 2010 undrafted pick.

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Andrew Moloney is confident that if given the chance, he would have beaten Phumelele Cafu and Kosei Tanaka

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Andrew Moloney (left) attacks Pedro Guevara – photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Few people were more disappointed than Andrew Moloney when Kosei Tanaka lost his WBO super flyweight belt to Phumelele Cafu at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Monday night.

The 33-year-old Australian veteran was hoping to get a shot at beating Tanaka in the lucrative Japanese market.

Those dreams were dashed when South Africa’s Cafu delivered the performance of his life, knocking out Tanaka in the fifth round and finishing the fight strongly, beating the four-weight world champion by split decision.

“The plan was to target the WBO and really chase the Tanaka fight, but it all fell apart on Monday night,” Moloney (26-4-1NC, 16 KO) told The Ring. “I think the WBO is probably still the direction we go, but I’m not sure if they have a rematch clause or if Tanaka will take it. But after watching the fight yesterday, I would be really confident that I could fight one of these guys and win. We would like to follow this path.

“I would love to fight Tanaka in Japan as a four-division world champion. He’s definitely someone I’ve looked up to and wanted to fight for a long time.

“Last night was a little hard to watch. The way he performed, I’m more confident than ever that I have what it takes to beat Tanaka.

I assume there will be a rematch and I hope that Tanaka will regain the belt and I will be able to return to the ring and climb the rankings, and maybe this fight will still happen.

Tanaka entered Moloney’s orbit four years ago when he debuted at 115 pounds. Earlier this year, it looked like they were also on a collision course, with Moloney being number one in the WBO rankings. However, when an offer was made for the vacant IBF lightweight title fight between Vasily Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. in May in Perth, Western Australia, Moloney felt he couldn’t turn her down.

This decision ended in disaster. Moloney faced Carlos Cuadras, who withdrew from the fight with a ruptured Achilles tendon and was replaced by Pedro Guevara. Moloney entered the fight with a torn bicep and was largely reduced to boxing with one hand, which circumscribed his punching power.

Still, Moloney felt he did more than enough to win, and was shocked when Guevara was declared the winner by split decision. He was so disappointed that he announced immediately after the fight that he was leaving the ring, but a few days later he withdrew these comments.

It was a breakthrough moment in his career.

“Looking back, it’s a wonderful thing, but watching the Tanaka-Cafu fight made me think that maybe I would do a lot of things if I could turn back time a little bit,” Moloney explained.

“Before my last fight, I was number one in the WBO rankings and I rejected the option of waiting to fight Tanaka. But the opportunity arose to fight Guevara in Australia for the interim WBC title on a major card, and to be candid, I kind of regretted that the Tanaka fight was hanging in the balance, but ultimately we decided to stay busy and take the opportunity to fight in Australia.

“Also, the injury before the fight was another thing I thought about: will I undergo surgery, keep the top spot and wait for Tanaka, but I made the decision to go ahead with the fight with Guevara. Looking back now, maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. And looking at the way Tanaka fought last night, I thought maybe I should have waited. I’m sure I could beat Tanaka and take the belt away from him.

“So I take some consolation, but unfortunately you can’t turn back time.”

It’s been a frustrating year for Moloney, but he’s still hitting the gym and his team is working to get him another fight. The window of opportunity to box again this year is closing quickly, but he still hopes to return to the ring in December, most likely in his native Australia.

“I really hope so,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been working on. I have been training strenuous at the gym for some time, quite a few months. I hope to return before the end of the year.

“At this stage it will probably be December. I’m trying to block something, but so far no luck. I’m still training away as if the fight was to take place in December, the team is currently working on it and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll be able to finish it.

“I just hope we can get out before the end of the year, get back into the winner’s circle and start climbing the rankings again.”

Moloney, who fought at bantamweight for the first three years of his professional career before dropping down to super flyweight, surprisingly, said he would even consider moving up to another weight class given the right opportunity.

“It’s a tough time in the super flyweight division,” said Moloney, the eighth challenger to The Ring’s 115-pound title. “There’s a lot going on and it’s always strenuous to plan which route to take because everything changes so quickly. I’d pick Bam Rodriguez to beat Guevara, then there’s talk of a rematch between Kazuto Ioka and Fernando Martinez on Up-to-date Year’s Eve. And then there’s talk of Bama, if they win, fighting the winner of that game in unification. The WBO seems to me the fastest way to win the title, so that’s the path we will follow.

“We have also rejected for some time the idea of ​​moving up to flyweight and getting crack there. There’s also some engaging scene going on there right now, but it’s still uncertain. I’d probably feel a little better at super flyweight, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Cafu and Tanaka, but like I said, I’d feel comfortable and confident against either of them, so hopefully he can make it it will happen sooner rather than later.”

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Doubts that fuel 19-year-old Benjamin Johnson

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Despite an impressive amateur resume, welterweight Benjamin Johnson of Springdale, Maryland, enters the professional ring with a shoulder injury.

Johnson will face Kevin Pantoja in a four-round fight at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland, promoted by his trainer Lamont Roach Snr’s NoXcuses Promotions. The fight will be broadcast on Saturday on ProBox TV.

Johnson, 1-0 (1 KO), spent just 2:23 in the ring in his professional debut, displaying the quick, aggressive hands that won him multiple national titles. However, 19-year-old Johnson feels an advantage, believing he is being overlooked by his NoXcuses Boxing Gym teammates.

Pantoja, 1-1, 27, has never stopped being a professional – Johnson aims to change that.

“People underestimate me,” Johnson said. “It’s been like that since I was an amateur.”

He added that this underestimation increases his motivation in the gym. Johnson is determined to prove his worth not only to himself, but also to those who doubt him or, worse, don’t recognize him. “I never felt like I was recognized as that guy, so I feel like I’m underappreciated,” Johnson said of his amateur and now professional career.

Johnson sees the fight as a key step in his career, compared to feared forward David Benavidez by some teammates and touted by others as one of the most ready-to-fight prospects in the country.

“I train as much as I can,” Johnson said. “It’s about making a statement. The way you win shows people what you’re capable of, and I’m ready to show my best.

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