Devin Haney-Liam Paro welterweight unification set for December 19 in San Francisco

Devin Haney and Liam Paro will meet in a WBO-IBF welterweight title unification fight on December 19 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

The bout will headline a DAZN pay-per-view card, with former WBO champion Brian Norman Jnr facing Abel Ramos in a 10-round co-feature. The four-fight broadcast is scheduled to begin at 8pm ET and 5pm PT, with two bouts still to be announced.

Top Rank and Devin Haney Promotions will stage the event in association with No Limit Boxing and TGB Promotions. The fight had been agreed in principle last month, but contracts, the venue and final terms had yet to be completed.

Haney will return to Chase Center three years after defeating Regis Prograis there to win the WBC super-lightweight title. Paro boxed on the undercard that night and already had the future champion in mind.

“Three years ago, I was on the undercard at Chase Center the night Devin fought Regis Prograis,” Paro said. “I said back then that Haney versus Paro rolls off the tongue. Now it’s here. Champion versus champion, two belts on the line, in his backyard.”

Haney, 33-0 (15 KOs) with one no-contest, will make the first defence of the WBO belt he won by unanimous decision over Norman last November. Haney dropped Norman during the fight and became a three-division champion, having previously held titles at lightweight and super-lightweight.

The 27-year-old is no stranger to facing an opponent away from home. He travelled to Australia twice in 2022 to beat George Kambosos Jnr, becoming undisputed lightweight champion in their first fight before retaining the championship in the rematch.

Haney’s April 2024 defeat by Ryan Garcia was subsequently overturned to a no-contest. He returned with a points victory over Jose Ramirez in May 2025 before moving up to challenge Norman.

“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.”

Haney was born in San Francisco and has strong ties to Oakland. “Oakland is where my story started, and the Bay Area has always been part of who I am,” he said. “I made history in Australia. Now it’s time to make history at home.”

Paro, 28-1 (16 KOs), will also be making his first defence at welterweight. The Queensland southpaw claimed the IBF title by handing Lewis Crocker his first defeat in Brisbane in June.

His first world title came at super-lightweight in June 2024, when he travelled to Puerto Rico and upset Subriel Matias on points. Paro lost the belt to Richardson Hitchins by split decision six months later, then rebuilt with victories over Jonathan Navarro and the previously unbeaten David Papot before moving up to face Crocker.

“I’ve never taken the easy road,” Paro said. “I went to Puerto Rico and took the title off Matias in front of his own people. Devin’s a great fighter and I respect that. But I’ve been the underdog plenty of times and I’ve made history before. December 19, I’m coming to unify the division and make more history.”

Paro and Haney settle terms after public dispute

The agreement follows contentious negotiations that initially centred on an October date. After claims that Paro and No Limit were asking for too much money, former champion Timothy Bradley questioned whether the Australian had priced himself out of the fight.

Paro rejected that account and accused Haney of avoiding the unification. “Haney is ducking me,” he told Fox Sports Australia. “I’ve said I’m good to fight by the end of October, and we ain’t heard a thing.”

He later said he had accepted possible fights with Haney and WBC champion Ryan Garcia. “My team has been reasonable on the money and I’ll fight either man any day of the week,” Paro wrote. “I’m a proven two-division world champion. I don’t duck anybody.”

Terms were eventually agreed for December 19. No Limit chief executive George Rose said Paro’s team had pursued the unification since he won the IBF title.

“Plenty of champions sit on their titles and wait for an easy defence. That’s never been Liam Paro and it’s never been No Limit,” Rose said. “Devin Haney has answered, and full credit to him for that.”

Haney moved towards the Paro fight after talks with WBO super-lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson broke down. Those discussions had focused on a November 28 DAZN pay-per-view bout but stalled amid disagreements over the contracted weight, a proposed rehydration restriction and money.

Norman returns against Ramos

Norman, 29-1 (23 KOs), will seek his second consecutive victory since losing the WBO title to Haney. The Atlanta fighter became interim champion by stopping the previously unbeaten Giovani Santillan in May 2024 and was later elevated to full champion. He made stoppage defences against Derrieck Cuevas and Jin Sasaki before facing Haney, then returned by stopping Josh Wagner in two rounds in May.

“I don’t fear the moment. I embrace it,” Norman said. “Every setback has sharpened me, every sacrifice has shaped me, and every round has taught me something. The goal isn’t just to win a fight. It’s to bring the best version of myself into that ring and leave no doubt about who I am.”

Ramos, 29-6-3 (22 KOs), has twice challenged for a world title. He lost a split decision to Yordenis Ugas in 2020 and fought Mario Barrios to a split draw in November 2024, when both men were knocked down. The Arizona-based contender most recently upset the previously unbeaten Tahmir Smalls by split decision in February.

“Brian Norman Jr. always comes to fight, and with my action-packed style, I know this is going to be a fan-friendly fight for everyone at the Chase Center and watching on DAZN,” Ramos said.

Ticket details and the remaining two pay-per-view bouts will be announced later. The winner of Haney-Paro will leave San Francisco with two of the four major welterweight titles.