Paro secures world-title fight, Spark denied in Mexico

Murray Wenzel | May 7, 2023

Liam Paro will end his long absence from the ring to fight champion Regis Prograis for the WBC super-lightweight world title.

The Mackay talent has not fought since last October, when he knocked out Brock Jarvis in a clinical one-round romp in Brisbane.

Paro has since had two scheduled bouts cancelled but after Prograis’s move to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable was confirmed he was quickly locked-in as the American’s challenger.

They will fight in Prograis’ native Louisiana at the New Orleans Smoothie King Centre on June 17.

Prograis reclaimed the WBC title in a win over Jose Zepeda in November and boasts a 28-1 record, his only loss coming against former undisputed super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor.

Paro (23-0) is the latest Australian to secure a world-title shot, with Kingscliff twins Jason and Andrew Moloney contesting belts in the United States on May 13 and May 20 respectively.

Paro’s opportunity was confirmed during fellow Australian super-lightweight Stevie Spark’s controversial split-decision loss to Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela on the Canelo-Ryder undercard on Sunday (AEST).

A body shot dropped the Toowoomba product in the sixth round but he was otherwise in command of the intercontinental-title fight, landing 176 power punches to the local hope’s 86. 

Pundits, including Hearn, had Spark winning but the judges saw it differently, handing the victory to Valenzuela via split decision 96-93, 94-95 and 95-94️.