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Photo: Getty
Undefeated Australian junior welterweight standout Liam Paro 22-0 (13) wants to face the best in the 147-pound division to win a world title.
The 26-year-old southpaw who resides in Brisbane recently signed a co-promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing while still working with longtime promoter ACE Boxing.
In his last outing in December, Paro made a successful US debut outpointing Yomar Alamo via split decision after recovering from a first-round knockdown.
The WBO number one contender at 140-pounds says he wants to face undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh ‘The Tartan Tornado’ Taylor 19-0 (13) next, but if the Scottish southpaw opts to move up in weight as expected he is happy to face any of the other leading contenders for the vacant title.
“I’m interested in whichever fight comes around. I’m at the top of the WBO ratings, and I am so grateful to my team at ACE Boxing who have laid the foundations for me to accomplish that. Now it’s my time to shine,” Paro said.
“I want the Josh Taylor fight naturally and I hope that fight happens. That’s a dream fight. Josh is a great fighter, he’s the unified champion and I would love a shot at all the marbles.
“’If he moves up, then I’m in the best position to fight for a vacant title. So either way, I want to be a world champion after the final bell of my next fight and I believe I will be.”
The WBO recently updated their rankings, placing former WBC and WBO champion Jose Carlos Ramirez 27-1 (17) at number two and Jack Catterall 26-1 (13) at number three. Ramirez lost his belts to Taylor by scores of 114-112 across the board in May last year, while Catterall was unlucky not to get the nod against the reigning champion in their 12-round bout in February.
“I honestly don’t mind if it’s Ramirez or Catterall. To be world champion you have to fight the best and I’m willing to do that,” Paro said.
“If Ramirez goes off and fights Jose Zepeda on ESPN I wish him nothing but the best, however, I want to fight Ramirez. If that fight was ordered for a vacant title I would love it and would be fully confident of winning it.
“If I get ordered to fight Jack Catterall the same mentality applies. Many think he should be unified champion after the Taylor fight so it’s a highly motivating fight for that reason amongst others.
“If I fight him in Australia, the UK, or the USA it honestly doesn’t matter to me. I’ve shown I’ll travel to fight in the past and that hasn’t changed. I’m fully confident that my team at ACE Boxing and Matchroom Boxing will deliver me a world title fight in the coming months.”
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