WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney will face IBF champion Liam Paro in a title unification bout on Dec. 19 in San Francisco, Top Rank Boxing announced on Thursday, adding another high-stakes matchup to one of boxing's most rapidly heating divisions.
Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) will return to the ring for the first time since he claimed his title in a decision win over Brian Norman Jr. in November. The 27-year-old was in talks for potential bouts against mandatory title challenger Keyshawn Davis and Shakur Stevenson earlier this year, but neither matchup materialized. December's title unification fight, promoted by Top Rank and Devin Haney Promotions, in association with No Limit Boxing and TGB Promotions, will take place at Chase Center and air on DAZN.
"My resume speaks for itself. I've never been afraid to go into a champion's backyard and put my record on the line," Haney said via press release on Thursday. "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."
Paro (28-1, 16 KOs), of Australia, won the IBF title in June with a decision victory over Lewis Crocker in Queensland. The former junior welterweight champion is 3-0 since moving up to welterweight in June 2025.
"I've never taken the easy road," Paro said in the release. "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. "
The welterweight division has delivered several memorable performances in the second half of 2026. Three-division champion Teofimo Lopez (23-2, 13 KOs) defeated Rolando "Rolly" Romero for the WBA title in August, and budding superstar Ryan Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs) defended his WBC title in September with a sensational second-round knockout of Conor Benn.
A potential rematch between Haney and Garcia would be one of the biggest available fights in boxing. Garcia scored a significant upset against Haney in 2024, but the result was later changed to a no-contest due to a failed drug test.
In the co-main event, former welterweight world champion Brian Norman Jr. will take on Abel Ramos in a 10-round bout.