Haney’s Christmas title unification fight set for December 19

Devin Haney makes his Christmas return in a huge world title unification fight against Liam Paro on December 19 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

The WBO welterweight champion and IBF titleholder will meet in a 12-round unification showdown that streams live on DAZN pay-per-view.

The card begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT with Haney-Paro, a 10-round welterweight co-feature between Brian Norman Jr. and Abel Ramos, and two additional fights.

Top Rank and Devin Haney Promotions are promoting the event in association with No Limit Boxing and PBC.

Ticket information has not yet been announced.

Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) is a three-division world champion who has done some of his best work fighting outside the United States.

He traveled to Australia twice in 2022 to beat George Kambosos Jr. — first to become undisputed at lightweight and then to defend those belts.

He outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko in May 2023, then moved up to 140 pounds that December and dominated Regis Prograis at Chase Center.

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

Haney returned in May 2025 to outpoint Jose Ramirez, then dropped Brian Norman Jr. that November on the way to a unanimous decision and the WBO welterweight title.

“My resume speaks for itself,” Haney said in the announcement.

“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.”

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

“The Valkyries just brought a championship to Chase Center, and on December 19, I plan to keep that championship energy going. I made history in Australia. Now it’s time to make history at home.”

Paro (28-1, 16 KOs) has his own history of winning in hostile territory.

The Mackay, Australia, native went to Puerto Rico in June 2024 and outpointed Subriel Matias for a super lightweight title.

He returned that December and lost it by split decision to Richardson Hitchins in his first defense.

Paro moved to welterweight the following year, stopped Jonathan Navarro after five rounds, and outpointed the unbeaten David Papot.

In June 2026 he handed Lewis Crocker his first defeat by unanimous decision in Brisbane to win the IBF belt and become a two-division champion.

“Three years ago, I was fighting for a world title in Puerto Rico,” Paro said.

“Now I’m going to San Francisco to unify. This is what I came to the sport for. Haney is a great fighter, but he’s never been in there with someone like me. I’ve proven I can win anywhere. December 19, I take his belt home.”

The co-feature pits former champion Brian Norman Jr. against two-time world title challenger Abel Ramos in a 10-round welterweight bout.

Norman lost his WBO welterweight title to Haney in November 2025 by unanimous decision.

Ramos has challenged for a world title twice, most recently in a 2024 draw with Jarron Ennis that left the belt vacant.

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 CEO of Devin Haney Promotions, also commented.

“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.”

Haney said Chase Center holds special meaning for him.

“We made championship history at Chase Center at 140 pounds. Now we’re returning at 147 for another opportunity to make history, looking to build on that success and deliver a memorable night of world-class boxing for the Bay Area.”

Britton Hardin, Head of Boxing, North America at DAZN, said the card brings together elite talent.

“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 marks Haney’s first homecoming since he headlined at Chase Center in December 2023.

That night he dominated Regis Prograis to win a super lightweight title and become a two-division champion.

Since then he has fought once in San Francisco — the Norman fight in November 2025 — and twice abroad.

Paro will be fighting in the United States for the first time in his professional career.

He has fought primarily in Australia, with one fight in Puerto Rico and one in Mexico.

The winner of Haney-Paro will hold two of the four major welterweight titles.

The other two belts — the WBA and WBC — are held by other champions in the division.

A fight for undisputed status would require a separate unification bout against whoever holds the remaining belts.

The welterweight division is currently one of the deepest in boxing, with multiple world champions and former champions in the mix.

Haney has said he wants to become undisputed at welterweight, just as he did at lightweight in 2022.

Paro has said he plans to take Haney’s belt and then pursue further unification fights.

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

DAZN will stream the event on pay-per-view, though the price has not yet been announced.

Previous Haney pay-per-view events have drawn mixed buy rates, with his fight against Regis Prograis generating modest numbers and the Garcia fight drawing strong interest before the result was overturned.

Paro is not a well-known name to casual American fans, which could make the PPV a tougher sell.

But the matchup pits two undefeated or near-undefeated champions in their primes, and the unification stakes give it genuine significance.