Lewis Crocker: IBF welterweight champion ordered to face Liam Paro in mandatory defence

Lewis Crocker is unlikely to put his IBF welterweight title on the line at Windsor Park after he was ordered to make a mandatory defence of his belt against Liam Paro.

The Belfast fighter had been set for a voluntary defence at Windsor, with opponents such as Devin Haney, Conah Walker and Jack Catterall all considered, before the governing body’s decision to make Paro the mandatory challenger.

It will be Crocker’s first defence of the title he claimed after a split-decision win over Paddy Donovan in front of a sold-out crowd at Northern Ireland’s national football stadium in September.

Crocker’s victory over Donovan marked boxing’s return to Windsor Park for the first time since Carl Frampton’s victory over Luke Jackson in August 2018, but the SSE Arena in Belfast is the frontrunner to host the defence now, with dates in April being considered.

The 29-year-old, who is unbeaten in 22 professional bouts, has not fought since that September win and recently split from coach Billy Nelson.

His bout against Paro will be his first under new coach Huzaifah Iqbal.

Paro, 29, was due to fight Donovan in a final eliminator for the mandatory position for the IBF belt on 16 January in Brisbane, but the Limerick man pulled out through illness.

The Australian held the super IBF lightweight title in 2024, beating Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias by a unanimous decision to clinch the belt.

He was then beaten by American Richardson Hitchins six months later in his sole career defeat.

Paro moved up to welterweight in 2025, where he has since earned wins over Jonathan Navarro and David Papot.