Australia’s Liam Paro rose from humble beginnings, in a country not known to dominate world boxing at the time.
Times have changed, many will argue for better or for worse, however in Paro’s case it is definitely for the better.
The 26-year-old is at number one in the latest World Boxing Organization rankings, with an impending ultralight world title.
However, there are many different factors in the equation. Did Josh Taylor get a promotion? Will Jose Ramirez fight Jose Zepeda, and what happens to Jack Catterall?
Paro took a detailed look at the current ultralight scene, starting with current undisputed champion Josh Taylor.
“When you fight for the world title, you want to be the best. So you have to fight the best,” he said. “Is Josh Taylor arguably one of the best at 140? Sure. He’s a great fighter, and he has all the belts. If I had that chance to get rid of them, I’d be happy to take that chance.
“Did Catterall beat Taylor? I think so. Catterall should be the undisputed world champion right now. It’s another case of ‘It’s Boxing’, but for better or worse, that could have a big impact on my career for the next six months.
“If Taylor was 140, I would be happy to travel. I have traveled before, I will travel again if I have to. A ring is a ring. I have shown that I can get away from home, get myself out of my comfort zone, and back in after adversity. If I had to do it again, I would.”
Other elements of the 140-pound equation come from Jose Ramirez and Jack Catterall, and Paro weighed in on the possibilities when faced with one of two highly regarded ultralight stylists.
“Jose Ramirez is a great fighter. If Taylor comes forward, and I’m ordered to fight Ramirez, then I’m all for that fight,” Paro said. “I feel better when I have a boxer rushing in rather than standing around and looking. Ramirez would aggressively lunge at me when he did, and that would allow me to showcase my skills on a stage I’d never done before.
“I respect Ramirez and his story. He had a humble beginning like me, and he came into life the hard way. You get strength in boxing from your experience, whether it’s in boxing or in life. It’s warriors with stories and experiences that make for a memorable showdown.”
Jack Catterall’s controversial result against Josh Taylor remains a topic of discussion in the boxing world, and if Jose Ramirez chooses to take on Jose Zepeda for the 140lbs WBC belt, a showdown with Catterall will become a reality.
“Jack Catterall really should be the unified world champion. That’s the reality of that situation and it’s a pity he wasn’t because I would have had a fighting chance to win all the belts,” Paro said. “Ultimately, that will be the plan after being world champion, but it would be great to fight for all the belts.
“If I have to fight Jack to be world champion, so be it. It’s been a great battle and I’ll go into it with confidence no matter where it’s going to take place. To win against a boxer who is considered number one in a tournament many considers legitimizes me as the best world champion available if the titles are split. ”
To prepare for his matches, the Australian has moved much of his training camp to Las Vegas, using the heart of boxing as a base to hatch his plans to win the world belt with his teams at Di Carlo Boxing and ACE Boxing. .
Paro revealed his decision to move to training camps based in the Nevada desert.
“It was a decision that we as a team knew had to be made to get to the level that I knew I was capable of achieving. I have to say a huge thank you to ACE Boxing, my family and sponsors for supporting this journey.
“Las Vegas is the best place in the world for boxing. It has everything you want in one place. From climate to living space and facilities, you get it all in Las Vegas. ”
During his time coaching Stateside, Paro also competed with the now-unified world featherweight champion, Shakur Stevenson.
“Shakur is probably the best person I have ever been with. He is a great talent. You could easily argue that he’s above world class, he’s at a level of elite that few have. I’m not surprised how easily he handles a great boxer in Oscar Valdez
“It could motivate people like Shakur Stevenson, that’s the impetus to make the move to Las Vegas. It’s those gaps, under pressure in the gyms, that get you ready for the big nights.
“This is something that is not available in Australia, but it is the foundation for me to bring the big nights for Australian boxing in the future against the big names. Defending the world title against Teofimo Lopez in Australia? It is up to me to make these matches a reality, and that only happens when I become world champion on the first try. ”
