There were easier ways for Liam Paro to remain active while waiting out a mandatory title shot.

Instead, the WBO number-one ranked junior welterweight contender from Brisbane, Australia agreed not only to a stiff challenge on the road to contention but against an unbeaten countryman in Brock Jarvis. The recently announced fight will headline a DAZN show on a September date and location in Australia to be determined. The event kicks off Matchroom Boxing’s first show Down Under, which Paro enters with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.  

“It’s a great platform to get more Australian fans before we get my title,” Paro started during the official announcement presser in his Brisbane hometown. “My mind is strictly on this job. Now it’s my time to make a statement.

“I’ve worked my ass off to get where I am. I’m not gonna let no kid just come in and take it away, let me tell you.”

Both fighters enter the domestic clash off of their respective U.S. debuts late in 2021.

Jarvis (20-0, 15KOs) struggled before rallying to stop Alejandro Frias in the fifth round of their lightweight clash last October 16 in Fresno, California. Paro (22-0, 13KOs) overcame an opening round knockdown to outpoint Puerto Rico’s Yomar Alamo in their WBO title eliminator between unbeaten contenders last December 18 in Tampa, Florida.

Paro’s endured the harder road to contention, having fought at the regional title level since 2018 and has bumped off five unbeaten opponents along the way. Conversely, Jarvis has only recently elevated his competition level while rapidly growing in weight. The 24-year-old from Marrickville, New South Wales was fighting at bantamweight just three years ago and has jumped up one division in each of his last five fights.

The showdown with Paro will mark the junior welterweight debut for Jarvis.

“Brock’s a good fighter. I respect him, he’s 20-0 for a reason,” noted Paro. The competition we’ve faced, you can’t compare. His 20-0 record doesn’t compare to my 22-0 record. We’re gonna see that in September. I’m on my way to becoming a household name. This is my destiny, I’m not gonna let him wreck it. No way.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox