Belfast’s IBF world welterweight champion Lewis Crocker says he hopes that a victory over Australian Liam Paro in his next fight can open the door to a unification bout with another belt-holder in the division.
Crocker is set to defend his title in Australia, with May the likely month for the contest and the Queensland city of Townsville seeming like the probable venue.
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The 29-year-old won the title with a split decision verdict over Paddy Donovan at Belfast’s Windsor Park in September and his team had hoped to stage the defence against mandatory challenger Paro back in his home city.
However, with no agreement reached between both parties, the matter was resolved by a purse bid with No Limit outbidding Crocker’s promoter Matchroom by $27,000 (£20,000).
When asked by BBC Sport NI’s Thomas Kane where he hoped a potential win over Paro could lead, Crocker replied: “The biggest fight possible. Unification, which is something I feel I deserve if I get through Paro.
“You look at the names in the division as well, everything’s massive. You have Garcia [Ryan, WBC champion], Haney [Devin, WBO holder], Rolly [Rolando Romero, WBA champion] and Benn [currently ranked number one challenger by the WBC] there so there’s so much to gain from this fight for the winner.
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“Any of the big boys because it will be easy to make. We all want a unification in the division, we all want to become undisputed.”
‘A tough test but one I’m ready for’
Liam Paro has held an IBF title in the super-lightweight division [Getty Images]
Crocker added that he was looking forward to boxing “on a big stage” against the former IBF super-lightweight champion.
“There are worse places to fight than Australia. Going abroad and defending the title against an ex-world champion is going to be something special.
“He beat the undefeated [Subriel] Matias, who was like 24-0, so he was obviously a legit world champion. It’ll be a tough test, but one I’m ready for.”
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Crocker says preparations for the fight are going well and he plans to travel to Australia one month before his defence.
“We’ll look to go four weeks prior and get settled in properly, train over there, get accustomed to the time zone and the heat,” he said.
“We’re on the ball, we’ve got everything sorted for when we go over, so all boxes will be ticked.”
The Belfast boxer says that while he would like to fight in Belfast again, a contest in the United States of America would also appeal to him.
“I’ve fought at Windsor Park twice and I’d love to fight at Windsor Park again, that’s home for me, but if the opportunity’s there to go to America and that’s the only option I’ll go to America.
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“As a kid you want to go to Vegas and Madison Square Garden and stuff, wherever the biggest fight is at that’s fine with me.”
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