Lewis Crocker’s supervisor Jamie Conlan says the IBF world welterweight champion’s hand damage is “nothing too severe” and expects the Belfast man’s first title defence in opposition to Liam Paro to happen in Could.
Whereas no date or venue had been formally confirmed by Paro’s promoter No Restrict, early April was rumoured to be their most popular time for the struggle to happen on Australian soil.
Nevertheless, Conlan’s crew offered a medical discover with each Paro’s crew and the IBF requesting additional time for the champion to recuperate from the damage, with Could within the Queensland metropolis of Townsville now trying possible.
“He (Crocker) has a small niggle on his metacarpal, nothing too severe however it’s strained and that put him again about 4 weeks,” Conlan confirmed to BBC Sport NI.
“We simply made positive we gave it (medical discover to IBF) in sufficient time and to present No Restrict sufficient time to get a date that fits everyone.
“We’ve got a tentative date we’re working in the direction of however till it is official, we cannot actually know.”
Crocker received the title with a cut up resolution verdict over Paddy Donovan at Belfast’s Windsor Park in September 2025 and his crew had hoped to stage the defence in opposition to necessary challenger Paro again in his residence metropolis.
Nevertheless, with no settlement reached between each events, the matter was resolved by a handbag bid with No Restrict outbidding Crocker’s promoter Matchroom by $27,000 (£20,000).
The 25,500-capacity Queensland Nation Financial institution Stadium is known to be a number one contender to host the struggle and, regardless of travelling to opposition territory, Conlan says it is “a very thrilling time” for his fighter.
“Will probably be back-to-back headliners open air. He received it (title) at Windsor Park and now to do it in Australia, in his opponent’s again yard in opposition to the toughest fighter you will be in he ring with creates an excellent legacy and that is what Lewis Crocker is out to do.
“He is change into world champion and now it is about constructing that legacy, so he’ll exit and beat Liam Paro in nice vogue, then come again right here (Belfast) for a large struggle on the finish of summer season.”
