Devin Haney can choose up one other welterweight belt towards Liam Paro, however amassing gold is not going to fulfill followers who waited practically a yr to see him again within the ring.
Paro holds the IBF title, providing Haney a transparent path to unify the division. What Paro lacks is the huge public buzz surrounding names like Shakur Stevenson, Ryan Garcia, Teofimo Lopez, Conor Benn, or Keyshawn Davis. After Haney spent months on the sidelines following his win over Brian Norman Jr., this matchup turns into a a lot harder promote.
The pair agreed to phrases, in keeping with The Ring’s Mike Coppinger on Thursday’s episode of Inside The Ring. The competition is ready for america earlier than the yr wraps up, with the date and venue nonetheless to be decided.
Haney grew to become a three-division champion on November 22 by defeating Norman for the WBO belt. That dominant outing constructed real momentum, making individuals desirous to see his subsequent transfer. Ending a prolonged layoff with Paro seems like a letdown in comparison with what the general public wished.
A showdown with Shakur would have delivered large mainstream consideration. These talks collapsed over weight limits alongside rehydration phrases. Paro stepped in as an alternate path to {hardware} whereas the Shakur grudge stays unsettled.
The Australian southpaw isn’t a straightforward mark. Paro defeated Lewis Crocker on June 24 to grow to be a two-division champion himself. At 30 years previous, he has constructed a three-fight profitable streak since dropping his 140-pound belt to Richardson Hitchins in December 2024.
Paro rightfully earned his shot at a unification. The true challenge is whether or not this pairing really sustains the momentum Haney generated towards Norman.
Stacking belts is completely totally different from firing up the fanbase. Topping Paro provides Haney two titles at 147 kilos, handing him leverage for later negotiations. Even so, it retains the marquee fights on maintain.
No one questions Haney’s expertise. The Norman victory proved his talent degree towards a harmful puncher. The irritation comes from the prolonged inactivity paired with a protected business choice upon his return.
Paro brings actual championship credentials. But after such a protracted wait, Haney may discover that slapping the phrase “unification” on a marquee isn’t sufficient to ignite the gang.
