Haney and Catterall Among Next Fight Options for Liam Paro
Newly crowned IBF junior welterweight champion Liam Paro (25-0, 15KO) could next face Richardson Hitchins, Jack “El Gato” Catterall, or WBC champion Devin “The Dream” Haney.
On June 15, Paro dethroned the man fans and pundits called the division’s boogeyman, Subriel Matias. What made the Aussie’s feat so impressive was he traveled to Matias’ country of Puerto Rico to defeat the tough-as-nails one-time champion.
According to Matchroom Boxing’s chairman, Eddie Hearn, there was no rematch clause. It means Paro can seek a unification or a voluntary defense against a top contender. When looking at the landscape, three options fit into the discussion because they are under the Matchroom umbrella.
THE CHAMPION’S FIRST CHALLENGER
Hitchins (18-0, 7KO) is ranked #1 by the IBF and holds spots within the top five by the WBO and WBC. He is coming off an IBF title eliminator against Gustavo Lemos on April 6. The Brooklyn native was given all he could handle in a fight some believed he should have suffered a defeat. Nonetheless, he is in a prime position to fight Paro for the title next.
El Gato (29-1, 13KO) is another top-five-rated fighter, ranked #3 by the IBF, with the second slot vacant. He is coming off a huge victory in the rematch against one-time undisputed champion Josh Taylor. Hearn was candid about Catterall getting a title shot, so now would be the time to make it happen.
The Dream (31-1, 15KO) is dealing with the fallout from losing to arch-rival Ryan Garcia, who tested positive for a banned substance. This is a likely fight that could happen because Haney wants to prove that he is still a top-level fighter.
The IBF champion is sitting in the driver’s seat with whatever move is next.
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