Jamie Conlan: Lewis Crocker Will Be World Champion Again
Lewis Crocker may have lost his world title but he proved his world-level credentials in Australia, says Jamie Conlan.
The Croc came back to Belfast without his IBF welterweight title, having lost narrowly to now two-weight world champion Liam Paro in Brisbane.
Still, Conlan is adamant that what ‘The Croc’ lost in terms of trinkets he gained in terms of respect, credibility and experience.
While disappointment dominated the former world title challenger turned manager and promoter immediately after the final bell, by the following morning he was more convinced than ever that Crocker will bounce back.
“I woke up the next morning just adamant that this guy’s going to become world champion again,” Conlan said when speaking to Irish-boxing.com.
“He’s learned so much,” he adds before stressing the big punching Holy Trinity graduate moves into the next phase of his career a better fighter.
“The Crocker that came out of the fight is ten times the fighter than the one that went into the fight.
“Honestly, although I didn’t really sleep after the fight, I woke up the next morning just adamant this guy’s going to become world champion again.”
The former Commonwealth champion also points out that the Belfast puncher lost by a very close margin to a very good fighter away from home.
“These are fine margins at that level,” Conlan explained.
“Liam Paro is an elite-level fighter. His only defeat is to Richardson Hitchins, who is one of the best at 140 pounds. He’s beaten Matias, Montana Love, Brock Jarvis. It’d be a tough night for anybody.”
The Conlan Sports boss believes there were out-of-the-ring learnings and advantages for the former world champ.
He argues his charge benefited from the experience of fighting away from home and will benefit from how he conducted himself through a high-profile fight week.
“I think he’s going to be ten times better inside the ring, but a better person outside the ring as well. The way he handled himself, gracious in defeat, first time ever losing as a professional.
“He handled himself away from home in the lion’s den when he was getting booed. He still showed respect to his opponent and called him a great champion.”
Attention now turns towards plotting Crocker’s route back into world title contention. Conlan believes there will be no shortage of opportunities.
Irish-boxing.com understands an SSE Arena Christmas return is being lined up and the promoter is adamant there are plenty of big fights for his fellow Belfast man.
“There are various different routes,” he adds.
“He’ll be ranked pretty high with the IBF. We’ll speak to the other governing bodies throughout the week. There’s plenty of fights there—Connor Walker, Jack Catterall—massive fights in the UK.
“He’s really made a name for himself and earned respect in the US with that fight. Plenty of the big names now know him and tuned in.”
With four different champions currently holding the major welterweight belts, Conlan believes the division is wide open.
“147 is a live division with different champions in every governing body. There are different opportunities and different routes.
“I think we get him back in Belfast before Christmas in a good, big fight and then we’re ready to go early next year.”
