Liam Paro respects Subriel Matias similarly today to how he did before they fought June 15.

Matias was consistently listed as at least a 6-1 favorite to top Paro in their 12-round fight for Matias’ IBF junior welterweight title June 15 at Juan Abreu Coliseum in Manati, Puerto Rico. Paro performed much better than anticipated against the powerful Puerto Rican champion, oftentimes getting the better of exchanges inside, and won a unanimous decision.

Referee Luis Pabon deducted a point from Paro for excessive holding in the seventh round. The Australian southpaw still defeated Matias by scores of 116-111 (John Basile), 115-112 (Gerardo Martinez) and 115-112 (Carl Zappia).

Brisbane’s Paro will make his first defense of the belt he won from Matias against mandatory challenger Richardson Hitchins on Saturday night in San Juan.

“Matias is a hell of a champion,” Paro told The Ring. “I was very blessed to share the ring with him there in Puerto Rico. We’ve said it for a long time – we believe in our skills, we know what we possess and we’re just showing the world and making them believe. What better way than to do it with the so-called boogeyman at the time? He made five people quit on the stool.

“No one wanted to fight him. No one else put their hand up. Hitchins was one of them that was hiding in the IBF ratings. Everyone went quiet and no one was saying his name. But we’re true warriors, and we just showed what we’re capable of. And, like I said, we believed, and we showed the world what we knew.”

Paro’s upset ruined the plans promoter Eddie Hearn had for Matias (21-2, 21 KOs), who made his debut for Hearn’s company, Matchroom Boxing, on his home island June 15.

“Look, it was a very hard fight,” Paro recalled. “We knew what we were up against. I said that in the lead-up to it. We knew the task ahead, and it was a big task. But that just makes it a better chapter in the book. I live the rest of my life as a champion for that and got the respect we deserve. But we’re still earning it worldwide, and I’ll continue to do that December 7th.”

DAZN will stream the card headlined by Paro (25-0, 15 KOs) and Brooklyn’s Hitchins (18-0, 7 KOs). Undercard action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT in the United States.

Paro is The Ring’s third-ranked fighter in the 140-pound division. Hitchins is rated No. 8 by The Ring at junior welterweight.

Keith Idec is a staff writer for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.