Liam Paro has his next fight planned for December 7 in Australia with Devin Haney as a potential opponent. Australia’s newly-crowned world champion is expected to make his first homecoming title defense at a venue in Brisbane, Sydney or Adelaide.
Unbeaten super lightweight Paro (25-0, 15 KOs) claimed the IBF belt in June in Puerto Rico, where he upset Subriel Matias by unanimous decision. According to Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn, the 28-year-old southpaw of Mackay, Queensland “would like” to square off against Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) next.
San Francisco’s former undisputed lightweight champion Haney, who also held the WBC belt at 140 lbs, last fought in April in Brooklyn against Ryan Garcia. The latter was named the winner by decision, but that victory was later overturned to no contest due to a failed drug test.
The Australian crowd knows Devin Haney for his pair of fights against George Kambosos Jr in 2022 in Melbourne. The following year he went on to defeat Vasyl Lomachenko and Regis Prograis.
“It’s a good fight [against Liam Paro]. It’s a fight that Devin thinks he can win,” Eddie Hearn said, BoxingScene reported. “Obviously, he can come back. He’s in recess with the WBC, so it’s a unification/regaining a title [bout].
“It’s a fight that Liam would like as well. Devin’s got a good profile in Australia with those two Kambosos fights. So it could be an option. I spoke to him [Thursday] night, and he says if the deal’s right, I don’t think he’d have a problem going.”
‘The plan for Liam Paro is to fight December 7 in Australia’
“The plan for Liam Paro is to fight December 7 in Australia. That’s the aim. We’re in conversations with various state governments to hold Liam Paro’s fight. Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide.”
Hearn also said that Paro could face the winner of the rescheduled bout between Jack Catterall and Regis Prograis in Manchester, England on October 26. The former undisputed 140-pound title challenger of the UK and NOLA’s two-time super lightweight champion were originally set to battle it out in August. The contest was postponed due to injury sustained by the representative of the country-host.
“There is still a chance [the opponent] could be the Catterall-Prograis winner, but that’s unlikely, given the timing. I still would like to look at a fight between Devin Haney and Paro, or if not, another contender in the division. “
“I like the Kambosos fight. Obviously, it’s two Aussies. Kambosos has been at lightweight for a long time. That’s a fight that could make sense. No major discussions, but it would be an interesting fight.”
Hearn also said that the Australian card could see British Johnny Fisher, as well as Australia’s champions Jai Opetaia and Skye Nicolson, and Justis Huni.