Paro’s star rises as he heads to Coast fight
QUEENSLAND boxing’s shooting star Liam Paro has been elevated to world No.3 ahead of his showdown with Turkish Olympian Fatih Keles on June 8 on the Gold Coast.
The 22-year-old faces the toughest opponent of his short professional career on one of the biggest fight cards put together in this state.
Five Australian champions – junior-welterweight Paro, heavyweight Demsey McKean, welterweight Tysinn Best, lightweight Jacob Ng and cruiserweight Ben Kelleher – will all be fighting on the big show at The Star Gold Coast.
Paro hopes a win over Keles will force a world title fight with WBO junior-welterweight champ Maurice Hooker by Christmas and his promoter Angelo Di Carlo has had preliminary talks about bringing the slick American to Queensland for the battle.
Keles hopes to derail those plans. The London Olympian, who was born in Turkey and is now based in Germany, is unbeaten in a dozen pro fights and won the WBO European title last year.
Paro, who was born in Mackay and now lives in Brisbane, won the WBO world youth title on the Coast in May.
He was one of Jeff Horn’s sparring partners before Horn’s monumental win over Manny Pacquiao at Suncorp Stadium in 2017 and he has rapidly become a star in his own right with 16 consecutive wins.
In his last bout, Paro scored a one-sided points decision over Italian Massimiliano Ballisai, despite breaking both hands midway through the fight.