Aussie Liam Paro faced a brutal setback as he suffered his first career loss in a split decision against Richardson Hitchens in Puerto Rico, relinquishing his IBF junior welterweight world title. Despite a strong start by the Aussie champion, where even Hitchens' corner initially believed Paro had won the first four rounds, the Brooklyn-native took control as commentators and fans came to believe it was a comfortable outcome in the end.

Boxing's Unpredictable Judges

As every boxing fan knows, the judges can often be a source of uncertainty, as evidenced by some bizarre scorecards in recent memory. In this case, Nelson Vazquez's scorecard came out as 117-111 in favor of Paro, a decision that left many in disbelief. Paro, who appeared nervous after the final bell while Hitchens celebrated, had an arm up but didn't look convincing. However, the other two cards both went 116-112 to Hitchens, crowning him boxing's newest world champion. This led to widespread confusion and criticism on social media. Boxing reporter Francisco A. Salazar questioned the judge's decision, stating that it was one of the more egregious scorecards ever submitted. Professional sports bettor Kevin Dolan even went as far as to suggest that the judge should be "shot straight out of a James Bond style ejector chair."

Post-Fight Reactions

Newly crowned world champion Hitchens went berserk in the ring, falling to the canvas and seemingly in disbelief of his achievement. Liam Paro was resigned to his fate, showing humility in defeat and congratulating Hitchens as "a hell of a fighter." He had "no excuses," stating that he had a good camp but it didn't pay off on the night. Paro and his team vowed to "go back to the drawing board," seeing it as a "lesson" rather than a loss, with Paro promising to return. Matchroom Boxing head honcho Eddie Hearn believed that Paro had a great start but that the momentum shifted in Hitchens' favor from the fifth round onwards.

What's Next for the Champions?

For the new champion Hitchens, he expressed his desire to face Teofimo Lopez in New York, Brooklyn, in a unification fight in 2025. He believes it would be one of the biggest fights of the year and a very lucrative and significant bout. As for Paro, while he goes back to the drawing board, there is speculation about whether his much-anticipated all-Aussie blockbuster with George Kambosos Jr. is still on the table. The boxing world will be watching to see how both fighters rebound from this unexpected turn of events.