Mike Coppinger reports that welterweight champions Devin Haney and Liam Paro have agreed to meet in a WBO/IBF unification on U.S. soil by year’s end, ending “The Dream’s” long and often deeply stupid search for his first welterweight title challenger.
Mike does Just Say Things sometimes, especially recently, but this seems more concrete than his usual “X vs Y is possible” schtick so I figured it was worth sharing.
Haney (33-0, 15 KO) hasn’t fought since cruising past Brian Norman Jr to snatch the belt last November. His level of personal responsibility for this layoff is tough to pin down; he accepted a mandatory defense against Keyshawn Davis earlier this year, only for Davis to turn down a career-high $2.14 million payday and set his sights on Richardson Hitchins instead. Then came an interminably nitpicky series of negotiations with Shakur Stevenson, which saw the pair snipe each other on social media over increments of half a pound before finally taking their balls and going home.
Recent revelations after Stevenson’s departure from Zuffa suggest that the former Olympian’s excessive financial demands played a big part in ending things, but Haney didn’t exactly come out of it looking rosy. That said, credit for facing arguably the best of his remaining options.
Paro (28-1, 16 KO) braved enemy territory to upset the then-unstoppable Subriel Matias for the IBF super lightweight belt in 2024, then narrowly fell to Hitchins in his inaugural defense. He’s done quite well for himself since moving up to 147, handing David Papot his first loss before grinding his way past reigning champ Lewis Crocker. Credit to him as well; his willingness to make concessions and welcome unfriendly styles stick out in the modern diva era.
