Liam Paro plans to defend the title back home after knocking out 'killer' Subriel Matias

Liam Paro signed his life away when he agreed to go to Puerto Rico to challenge for the IBF junior welterweight title in his country Subriel Matias.

That's if social media is to be believed, anyway.

The 28-year-old Australian southpaw is undefeated but unlisted by The Ring. He had only fought twice in the previous two and a half years – a first-round knockout of former bantamweight Brock Jarvis and a sixth-round knockout of former contender Montana Love. The consensus view was that he was out of his depth and far from home, unlikely to find favor with the judges if he did this miraculously.

Matias' reputation preceded him. The fearsome puncher had won every single one of his fights, with every victory coming by knockout. One blemish on his record was a close decision loss to Petros Ananyan. He avenged that defeat in brutal fashion, pulling out a nine-round knockout.

The brutal power and massive punch output of The Ring's number three contender didn't have suitors lining up a mile deep to face him. The prospect of facing a Puerto Rican in Puerto Rico did nothing to sweeten the deal.

But Paro jumped at the chance.

“I've always been good at spacing and blocking noise,” said Paro (25-0, 15 KOs) in an exclusive interview with The Ring about his unanimous decision victory over Matias at Coliseo Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu in Manati. June 15.

“We had a job to do and our minds were focused on our job. We had a game plan that my coach, Alfie Di Carlo, came up with and we executed it well.

(Photo by Amanda Westcott/The Game Room)

“I was excited, like, 'This is it, this is my time to show the world what I know,' and what better way than with a guy that no one wanted to deal with.”

“Everyone avoided him. No one wanted to speak his name. The magnitude of this win is insane.”

Paro does that job perfectly. He punched well early when he had to, stood in the trenches when he had to play through the middle, and dictated the rhythm and pace in the last four stages.

It was close to a virtuoso performance.

“It was perfect. I have to take my hat off to Alfie Di Carlo for that. His boxing intelligence when it comes to that side of things is amazing. His boxing IQ is beyond high, I trusted him 100%,” said Paro.

“I knew I would have to fight him [Matias]. I couldn't run away all the time. And when I did, I hurt the bully.

“He was throwing punches, but I had an answer for everything. So I knew I was going to box in that fight. You can't swim without water.

“We knew how Matias fought, I knew what I was getting myself into. I said that at the beginning. The way we did the program was right.”

Di Carlo provided safe hands in the middle rounds when it looked like the fight might go south.

The Mackay native was on the wrong end of the sixth shutout, but a spirited speech from the Brisbane lawyer and architect steadied the ship.

“Alfie is the best,” laughed Paro when he was reminded of his coach's colorful language. “We know each other very well, and that's what makes our relationship special. My old friend could have been hammering me and Alfie was still talking to me about it.

“He's like, 'We're fighting, that's it. Don't give him a reason.' It's well spoken in there, and that's about it.

“He reminded me that this is what we do, this is what we dream about. There they are. Don't give him anything. Don't give him a reason. This is storm resistance. But at the same time, Alfie is keeping his cool in the corner, which is great.”

“We knew how Matias fought, I knew what I was getting myself into. … The way we did the program was right.”

Fight fans and pundits gave Paro a slim chance of success, as did bookies who listed the challenger at +600 odds.

The popularity of social media turned into an amplified word. Aussie was already out.

“You met your killer. He already killed the guy in the ring. Fortunately, there is a hospital nearby,” said Di Carlo Beyond the Ring to local broadcasting service 7plus about negative online comments he received.

“All those things, people were really invested in the idea that this guy is a murderer; he was a complete killer who had the power to destroy any boxer.

“It was a common occurrence that no one could keep up with this guy for 12 rounds. No one. And I think what Liam did, when he reduced the killer effect, he showed what was possible with boxing and good science. “

That he did.

Paro's jab was precise, his body attack was consistent throughout the 12 rounds, and he combined his punch selection to keep Matias guessing, earning a unanimous decision in the opponent's area by scores of 116-111, 115-112 and -115- 112.

Paro is waiting for his ring tour. (Photo by Amanda Westcott/The Game Room)

“Before the fight, I said Liam Paro is knocking out Subriel Matias,” continued Di Carlo. “They can say what they want now, but none of them wanted it. They were all offered a fight and everyone said no.

“Liam did it. But it's not enough to get him out. It's not like Liam woke up in his bed in Brisbane that morning of the war. We went there and spent the rest of our lives. We entered an atmosphere filled with 10,000 screaming Puerto Ricans. We were put in a dressing room that looked like a toilet with two doors. We had no privacy at all. So when I made the pads, I moved them. I said this is a joke.

“But we were in a bathroom with two doors that people were running through all night to get into the ring. So everything is done to try to put us in a situation where we are not comfortable. But we never let any of this bother us. An ordinary person, it would have been possible, but we were focused on one goal, which was to win the championship.”

Local referee Luis Pabon also did not treat the visitor well. At the start of the second round, he was whipping Paro in the corner, and in the seventh he pinned him in what appeared to be a harmless rabbit punch during the match.

“You saw in the second round that he went directly to my case,” said Paro. “I've watched the fight back, and even when it went to the break, he was pushing me so that Matias could go back to the front. He was watching me like a hawk. Matias was also punching me. But it is. At the end of the day, they tried everything. He tried his best and I succeeded. I think it makes winning even more fun.

“Boxing is a mental game. I've said it for a long time, I have the best mind in this game. I am very opinionated, and some people have asked me if I am angry about it. But you can't be. You have to keep your mind on the job.

“I had a strong fighter against me, so I knew I had to stick to the game plan. I felt comfortable there, as if we were going our way easily. I knew that if I kept doing what I was doing and kept it clean, the lawyer wasn't going to be able to do much.”

(Photo by Amanda Westcott/The Game Room)

Before the fight, Paro told The Ring that he doesn't care if the judges get it right when it comes to the cards. Still, he admits it was a surprising wait between the final bell and the announcement of the winner.

“I was very confident that we did enough; it feels like it's going in one direction,” he said. “But those thoughts are in the back of your head. We're in his act and we've seen some crazy calls lately in boxing, so it was pretty scary until my hand was raised and I heard the words 'new again!'”

Matias, 32, (20-2, 20 KOs) was so confident, his team didn't even insist on a rematch clause. This opens the door for Paro to defend his first title at home in Australia, and he only wants big names, if that happens.

“Any of these guys have belts,” Paro said. “I want to bring the big fight back to Australia. I'm a proud Aussie; we deserve big battles. Like I said, I'm a fighter and I'll fight anyone. I have proven it, and I keep proving it. Bring them to Australia and I will fight them. As long as there is another belt, put it on.”

Ten years ago, it would have been considered a pipe dream to lure a major opponent to Australia, but various state governments have recently shown a desire to sponsor boxing events. Manny Pacquiao, Mairis Briedis, Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko have all played here in recent years, so the idea of ​​attracting someone like Ring Magazine and WBO champion Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) might not be so far-fetched. as it sounds at first.

“There have been small talks, the idea is floating around, but nothing has been set in stone,” said Paro. “When I go back to Australia, we'll start by pressing and starting something, find out where we're going to go.

“I definitely want to get another fight this year, that's for sure. I want to keep myself busy. I got a bullet in my back now. All I'm saying is, 'Come and get it.'