Liam Paro's welterweight debut was far from straightforward, but he could breathe easy at the final bell after winning a 12-round unanimous decision against David Papot in their IBF world title eliminator.

The 29-year-old former IBF junior welterweight champion had a comfortable evening's work against Jonathan Navarro in June but knew he was in tough against an unbeaten contender 10,000 miles away from home.

"This is world level ... you slip up and look like this. He was crafty, guy isn't undefeated ofr no reason and can whack for someone with five KOs. This is world level, everyone can fight, on to the next one," he told Main Event's Ben Damon after a gruelling night's work from Queensland's Pat Rafter Arena, Australia.

After banking the early rounds behind a measured start, Paro had to deal with an increasingly aggressive Papot as time wore on.

That was evident by a frantic finish to round four, the former world champion being rocked twice in quick succession by consecutive one-two combinations. Papot couldn't miss behind his left hand and the home favourite's right eye swelled almost immediately as he wobbled, with world-level contender Michael Zerafa on commentary suggesting Paro was saved by the bell.

The uncomfortable viewing continued for sustained periods through the next three rounds. Papot outworked the younger man in the fifth, was pushing the pace and using his physicality well to wear on him, as Paro's shot selection was rightly being questioned.

Would he mix up his attacks better, rather than just try to find a left hand? Well, a bizarre eighth frame gave him the opportunity to dictate terms behind his jab again as Papot seemed more intent on showing machismo rather than sustained punch output.

He moved backwards and continued gesticulating that Paro's punches were not troubling him, rather than keeping his fellow southpaw honest as he had been doing well over the previous few rounds.

Buoyed by this and a second wind too, Paro turned the tide with better work through combination punching and went downstairs for good measure.

The penultimate stanza was closely-fought, Papot finally aware this contest still hung in the balance heading into the last six minutes and wobbling Paro again as the hairy moments resurfaced. They traded in the pocket, referee Katsuhiko Nakamura ruling Papot slipped rather than being floored during another back-and-forth sequence with both swinging wildly.

Paro finished the round stronger and didn't relent in the 12th, knowing he couldn't afford to with the fight still anyone's guess. Digging several flurries to head and body, the one-eyed favourite got the crowd stirring in anticipation of a last-minute KO win but Papot refused to indulge him.

Junior lightweight: Liam Wilson TKO4 Jorge Santana

Junior middleweight: Jacob Ng TKO1 Rikki Naito

Junior middle: Dharringarra Trewhella TKO5 Lachlan O'Shea

Heavyweight: Floyd Masson UD6 (60-54 x 3) Johan Linde

Super middleweight: Ken Aitken SD5 (48-47, 47-48, 49-46) Sonny Knight

Junior middleweight: Danny Keating KO1 Sachin Nautiyal

Welterweight: Matthew Hosking UD4 (40-35, 39-36, 40-35) Lance McDonald