Haney’s Christmas return: huge title unification fight set

Devin Haney is going home for Christmas, and he’s bringing two world titles with him.

The WBO welterweight champion will face IBF titleholder Liam Paro on Saturday, December 19, at Chase Center in San Francisco.

The fight unifies two of the four major belts at 147 pounds.

Top Rank and Devin Haney Promotions announced the bout on November 5.

The event streams live on DAZN pay-per-view, beginning at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT.

The card includes a 10-round welterweight co-feature between former champion Brian Norman Jr. and two-time title challenger Abel Ramos.

Two additional fights will round out the broadcast.

Ticket information has not yet been released.

Haney enters the fight with an undefeated record of 33 wins, zero losses and 15 knockouts.

Paro holds a record of 28 wins, one loss and 16 knockouts.

This is Haney’s second fight at Chase Center.

He fought there in December 2023, when he dropped and dominated Regis Prograis to win a world title at 140 pounds.

That victory made Haney a two-division world champion.

He is now a three-division champion after winning the WBO welterweight belt in November 2025.

He won that belt by unanimous decision over Brian Norman Jr., dropping Norman in the process.

Haney’s path to this fight has taken him across the world.

In 2022, he traveled to Australia twice to face George Kambosos Jr.

He won the first fight by unanimous decision to become undisputed lightweight champion.

He won the rematch the same way.

In May 2023, he outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko in Las Vegas.

His April 2024 decision loss to Ryan Garcia was later overturned to a no contest after Garcia failed a drug test.

Haney returned in May 2025 with a win over Jose Ramirez.

Now he is back in the Bay Area, where his career began.

“Oakland is where my story started, and the Bay Area has always been part of who I am,” Haney said in the announcement.

“The Valkyries just brought a championship to Chase Center, and on December 19, I plan to keep that championship energy going.”

Haney has built a reputation for fighting champions on their own turf.

He went to Australia to take Kambosos’ belts.

He went to New York to fight Lomachenko.

He went to San Francisco to fight Prograis.

This time, the champion comes to him.

Paro is from Mackay, Australia.

He has his own history of winning in hostile territory.

In June 2024, he traveled to Puerto Rico and upset Subriel Matias to win a super lightweight world title.

He lost that title by split decision to Richardson Hitchins in December 2024 in his first defense.

Paro then moved up to welterweight.

He stopped Jonathan Navarro after five rounds in his debut at the weight.

He outpointed the unbeaten David Papot.

In June 2026, he handed Lewis Crocker his first defeat by unanimous decision in Brisbane to win the IBF welterweight belt.

That win made Paro a two-division world champion.

Now he faces Haney in a unification fight.

Haney made it clear he sees the symmetry.

“My resume speaks for itself,” Haney said.

“I’ve never been afraid to go into a champion’s backyard and put my record on the line.”

“I went to Australia, took George Kambosos’ belts, and became undisputed lightweight champion of the world.”

“Now I’m bringing another Australian world champion, Liam Paro, into my backyard.”

“This time, I plan to take his belt and become a unified welterweight world champion right here at home.”

The winner of this fight will hold two of the four major welterweight titles.

The other two belts belong to the WBC and WBA champions at 147 pounds.

Becoming undisputed welterweight champion would require unifying all four belts.

That means the winner of Haney-Paro will need at least one more fight to claim full undisputed status.

Top Rank President Todd duBoef praised the matchup.

“The historically prestigious welterweight division is heating up, and it all starts on December 19 in San Francisco when Devin Haney and Liam Paro unify their titles,” duBoef said.

“It is a pleasure to be reunited with Team Haney after orchestrating his successful bid for the undisputed lightweight championship in 2022.”

“Paro is no stranger to winning on the road, having broken the hearts of Puerto Rican fans when he upset Subriel Matias for his super lightweight crown.”

“This is a terrific matchup with massive stakes.”

Bill Haney, Devin’s father and promoter, also commented on the announcement.

“We are excited to partner with Top Rank, PBC, No Limit Promotions and DAZN to deliver another major night of championship boxing,” Bill Haney said.

“At Devin Haney Promotions, our commitment is to bring meaningful, high-level fights to the sport, and December 19 represents exactly that.”

“Devin Haney and Liam Paro are two reigning world champions competing in one of the hottest divisions in boxing.”

“This is a championship unification, with the WBO and IBF welterweight titles at stake and the winner taking another step toward becoming undisputed.”

DAZN’s Head of Boxing for North America, Britton Hardin, also weighed in.

“Devin Haney aka Debo's homecoming sets the stage for a blockbuster welterweight unification showdown in San Francisco,” Hardin said.

“With Liam Paro looking to make his own statement, and Brian Norman Jr. facing battle-tested former world title challenger Abel Ramos, this card brings together elite talent, compelling rivalries and high stakes.”

The fight comes at a pivotal moment in the welterweight division.

Several top names are active at 147 pounds, including champions from other sanctioning bodies.

The winner of Haney-Paro will be in position to pursue further unification bouts.

Haney has already achieved undisputed status once, at lightweight.

He is now chasing that same distinction in his third weight class.

Paro is looking to prove that his win over Matias was not a fluke and that he belongs among the elite at welterweight.

Both fighters have momentum.

Haney has won three straight since the Garcia no contest.

Paro has won four straight since losing his super lightweight title.

The December 19 date places the fight in the holiday season, a traditional window for major boxing events.

Chase Center has hosted championship boxing before, including Haney’s win over Prograis.

The venue is home to the Golden State Warriors of the NBA.

The Bay Area has produced several notable fighters, including Andre Ward and Robert Guerrero.

Haney has strong local ties, having grown up in Oakland.