The IBF has officially ordered a welterweight title eliminator between Liam Paro and Paddy Donovan, granting both camps 15 days to negotiate terms before the fight proceeds to a purse bid. The winner will secure mandatory challenger status to current IBF 147lbs champion Lewis Crocker.
Australia’s Paro is targeting a return to world title contention after previously holding the IBF super lightweight crown. He claimed that belt in a surprise victory over Subriel Matias in June 2024 but later lost it to Richardson Hitchins in December, marking his final bout under the Matchroom Boxing banner. Since then, Paro has rebounded with two straight wins in Australia, most recently outpointing David Papot in September.
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Donovan, guided by Andy Lee and promoted by Matchroom, enters the eliminator on the heels of two close and controversial defeats to Crocker. Their first meeting in March ended in a disqualification loss for Donovan despite leading on all scorecards and flooring Crocker late. The September rematch was another thriller, with Crocker edging a points win thanks to two knockdowns.
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