Lewis Crocker vs Liam Paro Preview June 24th, 2026
Unbeaten IBF Welterweight Champion Lewis Crocker of Belfast, Northern Ireland travels Down Under to take on former IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Liam Paro of Australia this Wednesday, June 21st. The 12-round welterweight tilt from Brisbane, Australia can be seen live down in Australia on Kayo Sports and Main Event. Paro last fought in September when he beat David Papot by a 12-round unanimous decision. Crocker last saw action in September as well when he edged Paddy Donovan via a split decision in a rematch to win the vacant title. The two first met in March, 2025 with Donovan being controversially disqualified after the eighth round for hitting and dropping Crocker after the bell. Donovan was also deducted a point in the sixth and eighth rounds for head butting but was comfortably ahead on all three scorecards when the fight was stopped.
Crocker vs Paro Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Lewis Crocker +139
- Liam Paro -180
My Pick
The 29-year-old Crocker climbs through the ropes with a perfect mark of 22-0 with 11 Ko’s and has boxed 122 rounds since making his pro debut in 2017. Before that he enjoyed a fine amateur career which saw him compete in the 2015 Irish Under-18 Championships and take a silver medal in the competition in 2014. He won the 2014 Irish Youth 2 Championships and reached the semifinals of the Irish Open Youth competition the same year.
Crocker also won the 2013 Irish Youth 1 Championship, reached the quarterfinals of the 2012 EUBC European Junior Championships and competed in several other national tournaments, reportedly winning 90 of his 97 amateur bouts. Since turning pro, Crocker captured the vacant WBO European Welterweight Title in August, 2020 with a seventh-round TKO over Louis Greene. He defended it with a 10-round unanimous decision over Dennis Ibay after dropping him in the third round and also by stopping Artem Haroyan in the seventh stanza.
Crocker then added the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Welterweight Belt in January, 2024 by stopping Jose Felix in the fifth round. Crocker also has wins over the likes of Conah Walker, Tyrone McKenna, Joel Julio and John Thain. He possesses decent power in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 50 per cent and has stopped four of his past nine opponents. Crocker stands 5-feet-9-inches tall with a 70.5-inch reach.
The 30-year-old Paro is a southpaw who climbs through the ropes with a fine mark of 27-1 with 16 Ko’s and has fought 164 rounds since making his pro debut in 2016. He gave up rugby at the age of 13 to take up boxing and also had a pretty good amateur career as he won the Australian Youth National Championships in 2013 in the 140 lb division. Since turning pro he has also captured the vacant Australian, the vacant WBO Youth, the vacant WBO Global and the vacant IBF International Super Lightweight Belts.
He measures just over 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 71-inch reach and as far as power is concerned, 59.3 per cent of Paro’s wins have come by way of stoppage but he has gone distance in three of his last four fights. He took a step up in class against Montana Love in December, 2023 and stopped him in the sixth round to retain the WBO Global Junior Welterweight Belt.. Paro upset Subriel Matias with a unanimous decision on the road in June, 2024 to win the IBF Junior Welterweight Belt.
But his reign didn’t last long as Richardson Hitchins took the title from him by split decision in his first defence six months later. Paro then bounced back when he stopped Jonathan Navarro after five rounds and then beat David Papot by decision in his last outing. He also has wins over the likes of Brock Jarvis, Jose Aubel, Robert Tlatlik, Faith Keles, James Chereji, Steve Gago and Yomar Alamo. Paro is an inch shorter than Crocker with a minimal half-an-inch edge in reach.
Prediction…
Both boxers are a bit underrated but they’ve only lost once between them. Crocker should have a lot of confidence due to his performance in the second meeting with Donovan while Paro has the home ring advantage here. I have a feeling this fight will be relatively close but I think Paro is just a slight class above Crocker at this point of their careers and I believe he’ll do enough to take his title.
Paro’s boxing skills and power give him the slight edge.
Play: Paro -180 @ BetOnline.ag
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Lewis Crocker betting • Liam Paro betting