WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION Lewis Crocker has been ordered to face top-ranked challenger Liam Paro in the first defence of his IBF title.
Belfast’s Crocker [22-0, 11KOs], who earned a second controversial victory over Limerick’s Paddy Donovan at Windsor Park to win the vacant belt back in September, had looked set to face in-form Englishman Conah Walker [17-3-1, 8KOs] in another rematch this spring in what would have been an optional defence of his title.
However, as first reported by freelance boxing journalist Dan Rafael, the IBF have unusually rejected Matchroom Boxing’s request for an exception and instead insisted that Crocker make an immediate mandatory defence against former light-welterweight world champion Paro.
The Australian [27-1, 16KOs] had been due to face Paddy Donovan, the IBF’s second-ranked contender, in a final eliminator for Crocker’s title in Brisbane this month. Donovan, however, was forced to pull out after a respiratory illness prevented him from training properly for almost three weeks.
Donovan’s withdrawal left Paro without a fight after training through Christmas, and the IBF have subsequently demanded that Crocker give their top-ranked contender the chance to challenge for his 147-pound title. (Donovan, meanwhile, remains next in the queue to challenge for the title following the publication of the IBF’s latest world rankings).
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Lewis Crocker celebrates his world-title success over Paddy Donovan. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The 42 understands that formal negotiations have not yet taken place between Matchroom and Paro’s promotional team, No Limit Boxing.
Eddie Hearn had hoped to stage a sequel between Crocker and Wolverhampton native Walker at Windsor Park.
Also promoted by Matchroom and ranked 12th by the IBF, Walker has recently reeled off a series of impressive stoppage wins, the latest of which was a stunning upset of former Olympic and World Championship silver medallist Pat McCormack.
Walker came mightily close to shocking Crocker in Birmingham in June 2024, with the Belfast man escaping with a narrow unanimous-decision victory and moving on to the first of his two bouts with Donovan, which was a final eliminator for Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis’ IBF title.
Former 140-pound world champion Paro, meanwhile, has won back-to-back fights on his way up to 147. The Queensland native decided to move up in weight on health grounds after he was narrowly dethroned by talented American Richardson Hitchins in December 2024. Paro had previously stunned Puerto Rican puncher Subriel Matias to claim the IBF light-welterweight title.
‘Carty Party’ resumes on Dickens-Cacace undercard at the 3Arena
Popular Dublin heavyweight Thomas Carty [10-1, 9KOs] will return to the ring after a nine-month injury absence on the undercard of Anthony Cacace’s world-title challenge against Jazza Dickens at the 3Arena on 14 March.
Carty, 30, suffered a first career defeat in agonising circumstances against 410-pound American Dajuan Calloway last March, with an ACL tear forcing him out of their contest in the second round.
Carty is one of nine Irish boxers who was confirmed for Queensberry and Frank Warren’s Dickens-Cacace undercard on Friday.
Dublin’s former world-title challenger Jono Carroll [25-3-1, 7KOs] will face Belfast native Colm Murphy [15-0, 5KOs] in a super-featherweight contest.
Steven Cairns [13-0, 8KOs], Gary Cully [18-2, 10KOs], Eoghan Lavin [7-0, 3KOs], Barry McReynolds [3-0, 2KOs], Eugene McKeever [1-0], debutant Bobbi Flood, and the aforementioned Carty will all feature against opponents who will be determined at a later date.
Already confirmed for the co-main event at the 3Arena is a light-weltweight clash between local boy Pierce O’Leary [18-0, 10KOs] and Englishman Mark Chamberlain [17-1-1, 12 KOs].
The headline act on St Patrick’s weekend will see Belfast’s super-featherweight star, Anthony Cacace [24-1, 9KOs], seek to become a two-time world champion against English beltholder Jazza Dickens [36-5, 15KOs].
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Cacace, 36, was previously a world champion at super-feather but vacated his strap last January to swerve a mandatory defence and instead take on money-spinning bouts against more recognisable British names.
In 2024, Cacace dethroned Welsh beltholder Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia, becoming a world champion on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s first victory over Tyson Fury. He subsequently defeated England’s former featherweight world champs Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood — the former on points, the latter by sensational stoppage in Wood’s hometown of Nottingham.
A fight with Brian Peters’ American star, Ray Ford, fell through when Cacace injured his back during his training camp. But ‘The Apache’ from Andersonstown will return against beloved Liverpudlian Dickens, 34, who stunned the previously unbeaten Russian Albert Batyrgaziev during his last outing before being upgraded to world-champion status.
Dickens has family from Dublin and enjoys the city greatly having previously trained in the Irish capital under Pete Taylor, father of Katie.
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World champion Crocker ordered to face Paro, while 'Carty Party' resumes on Cacace undercard
WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION Lewis Crocker has been ordered to face top-ranked challenger Liam Paro in the first defence of his IBF title.
Belfast’s Crocker [22-0, 11KOs], who earned a second controversial victory over Limerick’s Paddy Donovan at Windsor Park to win the vacant belt back in September, had looked set to face in-form Englishman Conah Walker [17-3-1, 8KOs] in another rematch this spring in what would have been an optional defence of his title.
However, as first reported by freelance boxing journalist Dan Rafael, the IBF have unusually rejected Matchroom Boxing’s request for an exception and instead insisted that Crocker make an immediate mandatory defence against former light-welterweight world champion Paro.
The Australian [27-1, 16KOs] had been due to face Paddy Donovan, the IBF’s second-ranked contender, in a final eliminator for Crocker’s title in Brisbane this month. Donovan, however, was forced to pull out after a respiratory illness prevented him from training properly for almost three weeks.
Donovan’s withdrawal left Paro without a fight after training through Christmas, and the IBF have subsequently demanded that Crocker give their top-ranked contender the chance to challenge for his 147-pound title. (Donovan, meanwhile, remains next in the queue to challenge for the title following the publication of the IBF’s latest world rankings).
The 42 understands that formal negotiations have not yet taken place between Matchroom and Paro’s promotional team, No Limit Boxing.
Eddie Hearn had hoped to stage a sequel between Crocker and Wolverhampton native Walker at Windsor Park.
Also promoted by Matchroom and ranked 12th by the IBF, Walker has recently reeled off a series of impressive stoppage wins, the latest of which was a stunning upset of former Olympic and World Championship silver medallist Pat McCormack.
Walker came mightily close to shocking Crocker in Birmingham in June 2024, with the Belfast man escaping with a narrow unanimous-decision victory and moving on to the first of his two bouts with Donovan, which was a final eliminator for Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis’ IBF title.
Former 140-pound world champion Paro, meanwhile, has won back-to-back fights on his way up to 147. The Queensland native decided to move up in weight on health grounds after he was narrowly dethroned by talented American Richardson Hitchins in December 2024. Paro had previously stunned Puerto Rican puncher Subriel Matias to claim the IBF light-welterweight title.
‘Carty Party’ resumes on Dickens-Cacace undercard at the 3Arena
Popular Dublin heavyweight Thomas Carty [10-1, 9KOs] will return to the ring after a nine-month injury absence on the undercard of Anthony Cacace’s world-title challenge against Jazza Dickens at the 3Arena on 14 March.
Carty, 30, suffered a first career defeat in agonising circumstances against 410-pound American Dajuan Calloway last March, with an ACL tear forcing him out of their contest in the second round.
Carty is one of nine Irish boxers who was confirmed for Queensberry and Frank Warren’s Dickens-Cacace undercard on Friday.
Dublin’s former world-title challenger Jono Carroll [25-3-1, 7KOs] will face Belfast native Colm Murphy [15-0, 5KOs] in a super-featherweight contest.
Steven Cairns [13-0, 8KOs], Gary Cully [18-2, 10KOs], Eoghan Lavin [7-0, 3KOs], Barry McReynolds [3-0, 2KOs], Eugene McKeever [1-0], debutant Bobbi Flood, and the aforementioned Carty will all feature against opponents who will be determined at a later date.
Already confirmed for the co-main event at the 3Arena is a light-weltweight clash between local boy Pierce O’Leary [18-0, 10KOs] and Englishman Mark Chamberlain [17-1-1, 12 KOs].
The headline act on St Patrick’s weekend will see Belfast’s super-featherweight star, Anthony Cacace [24-1, 9KOs], seek to become a two-time world champion against English beltholder Jazza Dickens [36-5, 15KOs].
Cacace, 36, was previously a world champion at super-feather but vacated his strap last January to swerve a mandatory defence and instead take on money-spinning bouts against more recognisable British names.
In 2024, Cacace dethroned Welsh beltholder Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia, becoming a world champion on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s first victory over Tyson Fury. He subsequently defeated England’s former featherweight world champs Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood — the former on points, the latter by sensational stoppage in Wood’s hometown of Nottingham.
A fight with Brian Peters’ American star, Ray Ford, fell through when Cacace injured his back during his training camp. But ‘The Apache’ from Andersonstown will return against beloved Liverpudlian Dickens, 34, who stunned the previously unbeaten Russian Albert Batyrgaziev during his last outing before being upgraded to world-champion status.
Dickens has family from Dublin and enjoys the city greatly having previously trained in the Irish capital under Pete Taylor, father of Katie.
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