Montana Love vs Liam Paro Preview December 9th, 2023
Montana Love of Cleveland, Ohio takes on undefeated Liam Paro of Australia this Saturday, December 9th for Paro’s WBO Global Super Lightweight Title in San Francisco, California. The 10-round bout can be seen live in most nations on DAZN on the undercard of the Devin Haney vs Regis Prograis fight. Love last fought in November, 2022 when he was dropped in the second round and then disqualified in the fifth for throwing Steve Spark over the rope in a bout for the WBA Inter-Continental Title. Paro last boxed in October, 2022 when he stopped Brock Jarvis in the first round to retain his belt.
**Watch live on DAZN this Saturday. Your first month is free.
Love vs Paro Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Montana Love +160
- Liam Paro -200
My Pick
Montana Love is a 28-year-old southpaw who will enter the ring with a fine record of 18-1-1 with 9 Ko’s. The only blemishes on his record are the DQ loss to Spark in his last bout and an eight-round draw with Kenneth Sims Jr in July, 2018 for the vacant World Boxing Council Youth Silver Super Lightweight Title. Love made his pro debut back in April, 2015 and has boxed 99 rounds since.
Love enjoyed a fine amateur career and made it to the National Golden Gloves semifinals in 2012 where he was beaten by Jamontay Clark. He also lost to Rashidi Ellis as an amateur but beat Erickson Lubin. He stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a wingspan of 68.5-inches. He made a name for himself on the international scene in August, 2021 by stopping Ivan Baranchyk after seven rounds.
Love has also beaten Carlos Diaz, Wilfredo Acuna, Samuel Teah, Ricardo Garcia, Michael Ogundo, Jerrico Walton and Cameron Krael so he isn’t really taking a step up in class this weekend. Love isn’t really a power puncher but 50 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage and he definitely shouldn’t be taken too lightly in that department. Love is also a rapper and has dedicated himself to boxing since 2016 after serving a 16-month prison sentence for several charges including grand theft.
The 27-year-old Paro is also a southpaw and climbs through the ropes with a perfect mark of 23-0 with 14 Ko’s and has fought 117 rounds since making his pro debut in 2016. He gave up rugby at the age of 13 to take up boxing and also had a pretty good amateur career as he won the Australian Youth National Championships in 2013 in the 140 lb division. Since turning pro he has captured the vacant Australian, the vacant WBO Youth, the vacant WBO Global and the vacant IBF International Super Lightweight Belts.
At just over 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 71-inch reach, he has a half-inch edge in height over Love as well as 2.5-inches in reach. As far as power is concerned, 60.1 per cent of Paro’s wins have come by way of stoppage but has gone distance in five of his last eight fights. He’s arguable taking a step up in class this weekend as Paro has fought just once outside of Australia with his best wins coming over Brock Jarvis, Jose Aubel, Robert Tlatlik, Faith Keles, James Chereji, Steve Gago and Yomar Alamo.
Prediction…
Love and Paro are both solid young pros with plenty of skills and enough power in their punches to do some damage. Paro has taken on limited opposition so far and Love hasn’t exactly been fighting the cream of the crop. Both boxers will likely have some ring rust and Love needs to bounce back with a win here after his embarrassing DQ last year. He’s had a year to get himself together and I’m giving Love the benefit of the doubt here as his career will be somewhat derailed with another defeat this weekend.
A close fight, but I believe Love as the slight edge in skill.
Play Love +160 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Liam Paro betting • Montana Love betting