Crocker sets sights on route back to the top

The flight home from Australia in June was a little longer for Lewis Crocker as he pondered his defeat by Liam Paro in his first defence of the IBF welterweight champion.

A storming finish by the Belfast man was not enough to turn things around as all three judges gave Paro a 115-113 decision and the Australian realised his dream of becoming a two-weight champion.

Crocker grew into that fight and seemed on the brink of finding a finish in the late rounds, but Paro held on and Crocker lost his grip on the title he won last September in Belfast's Windsor Park against Paddy Donovan - his record slipping to 22 wins with one loss.

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda," is how the 29-year-old reflects on that night in Brisbane - one in which he was so near yet so far away, yet his first career defeat has not dented confidence, but only served to fuel his desire to rise again.

"I got beaten on a very close decision in a world title fight against a two-weight world champion," Crocker told BBC Sport NI.

"I gained experience from it anyway, and at 29 I've still got plenty more for whatever opportunity is coming.

"I felt like I had him hurt a lot of times and he was holding, if he gets a point taken off then I win the fight. Shoulda, woulda, coulda...

"That was a long fight back, but I'm over it because I know I'm right there. My main focus now is going to be a two-time world champion."

Still, it is good to be home as he embarks upon a route back to the top and while opportunities may present themselves in 2027, Crocker is not looking past the challenge of 26-year-old Cooper who will see this as his golden ticket.

"It would have been great to have a first defence in Belfast, but ultimately it doesn't matter - there's still two men getting into the ring," Crocker reasoned.

"It's good to be back in Belfast anyway, and get on the road to two-time world champion.

"More than anything now, I want to be a two-time world champion and we've a great plan ahead but I'm not looking past Owen, because he's a great fighter and I'm expecting a really tough test."

Crocker's old foe Paddy Donovan is front of the queue to face Paro, while the welterweight division has come alive once again with some of the sport's biggest names in Ryan Garcia [WBC], Teofimo Lopez [WBA] and Devin Haney [WBO] holding the other titles.

A second shot at a title at Windsor Park where he won his first against Donovan "would be great" but whomever and wherever, Crocker would be happy to take.

"There are four world titles out there, so any one of them [would be great]," he continued.

"[I plan to get] back on track and push towards it, but as I say, Owen's my main focus right now."