Lewis Crocker is unlikely to place his IBF welterweight title on the road at Windsor Park after he was ordered to make a compulsory defence of his belt in opposition to Liam Paro.

The Belfast fighter had been set for a voluntary defence at Windsor, with opponents resembling Devin Haney, Conah Walker and Jack Catterall all thought of, earlier than the governing physique’s resolution to make Paro the obligatory challenger.

It is going to be Crocker’s first defence of the title he claimed after a split-decision win over Paddy Donovan in entrance of a sold-out crowd at Northern Eire’s nationwide soccer stadium in September.

Crocker’s victory over Donovan marked boxing’s return to Windsor Park for the primary time since Carl Frampton’s victory over Luke Jackson in August 2018, however the SSE Enviornment in Belfast is the frontrunner to host the defence now, with dates in April being thought of.

The 29-year-old, who’s unbeaten in 22 skilled bouts, has not fought since that September win and not too long ago cut up from coach Billy Nelson.

His bout in opposition to Paro can be his first below new coach Huzaifah Iqbal.

Paro, 29, was as a consequence of combat Donovan in a remaining eliminator for the obligatory place for the IBF belt on 16 January in Brisbane, however the Limerick man pulled out via sickness.

The Australian held the tremendous IBF light-weight title in 2024, beating Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias by a unanimous resolution to clinch the belt.

He was then crushed by American Richardson Hitchins six months later in his sole profession defeat.

Paro moved as much as welterweight in 2025, the place he has since earned wins over Jonathan Navarro and David Papot.