Crocker had hoped to move in a different direction. A rematch with Conah Walker was one idea, built around unfinished business and local interest. He also spoke publicly about the appeal of a unification bout with Devin Haney, a fight that would have clarified his standing immediately. None of that survived contact with the IBF’s calendar.
The sanctioning body denied Crocker’s request for an optional defense in April, citing the March 13 mandatory due date. With that decision, the path narrowed. The champion now has one direction, and it is not of his choosing.
The problem is not the concept of a mandatory defense. The problem is the challenger.
Paro moved up to 147 after losing his IBF junior welterweight title to Richardson Hitchins by split decision in December 2024. Since then, he has fought twice at welterweight. Both wins came against opponents with no profile, no traction, and no relevance to the top of the division. These were not positioning fights. They were maintenance bouts.
That matters because Crocker is not defending a belt he inherited through attrition. He won it in a hard, competitive fight against Paddy Donovan, and he did so with the expectation that the title would open doors. Instead, he is being asked to risk momentum against a challenger whose recent résumé does not justify the position he now occupies.
Paro did not beat a contender at 147 to earn this slot. He advanced because Donovan withdrew from a planned eliminator, and the IBF filled the vacancy with the highest-ranked available name. That is process, not proof.
From Crocker’s side, the upside is limited. Beating Paro would answer no questions, raise no leverage, and do nothing to move Crocker closer to the fights he actually wants. Losing, however, would be catastrophic.
This is the kind of mandatory that tests patience more than skill. Crocker may get through it cleanly, but it is difficult to see how it helps him. For a champion trying to establish credibility, being boxed into a low-yield defense this early is not a step forward. It is simply the price of holding the belt.
