Liam Paro hits out at opponent after IBF title eliminator shakeup forces short-notice reshuffle

Liam Paro has hit out at Paddy Donovan after the latter withdrew from their IBF welterweight title eliminator through illness, suggesting his foe "never wanted the smoke".

The Australian was due to face the Irishman in Brisbane this month on the Nikita Tszyu-Michael Zerafa undercard, with a shot at Lewis Crocker the reward for the victor.

However, Donovan - who was edged to the title by Crocker in a gripping rematch at Belfast's Windsor Park in September - has now pulled out with unspecified health issues.

Following confirmation by No Limit Boxing, Paro has aired his frustrations over the short-notice exit of his opponent, and implied that he had been looking for a way out.

Paro (27-1, 16 KOs), a former junior welterweight titleholder, expressed that he was “gutted” for the fight against Donovan (14-2, 11 KOs) to be called off.

"I’ve put in a full camp, flown world-level sparring over to prepare, and done everything right," he was quoted by The Ring. "I was ready to put on a show in Brisbane.

"When it’s taken away this close, of course, it stings. To be honest, it feels like he never wanted the smoke. He took forever to sign the contract and now pulls out with the flu.

"I’ve battled through camps with sickness. I was fit, confident, and ready to make a statement, and maybe he saw that. He was just going to be a statistic on my record anyways.

“My focus hasn’t changed one bit. I’m coming for Lewis Crocker and the world title next. I will be a two-time and two-division champion. This is just a delay, not the destination.

Paro previously held the IBF super-lightweight crown, and will hope to secure a new foe in order to earn his shot at a title bid against Crocker, who is considering his own options.

Donovan exit sparks frustrations for Paro

DAZN News correspondent Andrew Steel

Liam Paro may be hurting now, but his claims that Paddy Donovan may have wanted to duck him seem unlikely at best, given what is at stake for the Irishman in 2026.

The latter's duology with Lewis Crocker, first in an eliminator of their own, and then in an outright title battle, arguably saw him on top for long parts of both encounters.

Disqualification in their original bout and two knockdowns in the rematch ultimately did him in on both occasions, and the star clearly wanted a third dance to right wrongs.

Paro was his pathway to that latest all-Irish affair, and his exit from the bout will not have been made lightly, even as his opponent sits frustrated by the ultimate decision.

Either way, it tees up another fascinating shuffle in the welterweight division - one that may look very different in another year to how the landscape sits now at the top.

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