Queenslander Liam Paro dropped Montana Love twice inside one round on his way to a statement victory in San Francisco to again press his world boxing title credentials.
Wednesday 20 December 2023 11:24, UK
The super lightweight prospect had received a verbal barrage from American Love ahead of the fight at Chase Centre, with Love claiming he would "retire" him and that Mackay product Paro wasn't ready for the bright lights after fighting "ducks" back in Australia.
Paro delivered the ultimate rebuttal in a sixth round that ignited an otherwise tedious WBO Intercontinental super lightweight championship fight, the 27-year-old sending Love to the canvas twice with powerful left jabs. Love tried to fight on but a ruthless Paro moved to 24-0 when the referee stopped the action moments later.
It was Paro's first fight since an opening-round knockout of Brock Jarvis last October, after an achilles injury robbed him of a world title shot at Regis Prograis in June and a facial fracture kept him from another fight in England.
Prograis was the feature fight on the same card in San Francisco but was outclassed over 12 rounds by Devin Haney who won the WBC super lightweight title. Haney has moved up a weight class since unifying the lightweight division courtesy of twin victories against Australian George Kambosos Jnr.
Paro is currently only ranked inside the top 15 of one organisation (WBO, 11th), though his latest victory is sure to boost his stocks as he chases bigger fights.
Earlier on the same card, Australian Ebanie Bridges lost her IBF bantamweight defence to Japan's Miyo Yoshida, who was a replacement to fight when fellow Aussie Avril Mathie withdrew injured.
"It wasn't my night; big congrats to my opponent. She was the better fighter," Bridges said after the unanimous points decision went against her. "Beautiful and humble, single mother. Seeing how much that win meant to her and her daughter did give me some warmth inside.
"A loss doesn't define me. I have no quit. It's all learning and I'll be back better and stronger."
In Melbourne on Saturday, former super flyweight world champion Andrew Moloney beat Filipino Judy Flores by unanimous points decision.
It was dubbed a must-win encounter for Moloney, who was back in the ring for the first time since a devastating last-round knockout while fighting for a world title.
