Paro to Face Haney for Welterweight Titles
Liam Paro and Devin Haney meet on December 20 at the Chase Center in San Francisco in a unification bout for the IBF and WBO welterweight belts.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Boxing
IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro will defend his title against WBO champion Devin Haney on December 20 at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The bout is a unification fight between the two belt holders and is the main event of a pre-Christmas card.
Why it matters
A win would unify two of the welterweight division's major world titles, with Paro seeking to add to his multiple-division championship record. For San Francisco, the Chase Center date brings a high-profile title fight to the city during the holiday season.
Paro's 28-1 professional record includes a June win over Lewis Crocker for the IBF welterweight title, which made him a multiple-division world champion. Haney enters unbeaten across 33 fights, with world titles at lightweight, super lightweight and welterweight, though the source does not detail how the matchup will be scored.
The players
Liam Paro
Australian welterweight boxer from Mackay, Queensland, who holds the IBF welterweight world title. He previously beat Subriel Matias in Puerto Rico in 2024.
Devin Haney
American boxer who holds the WBO welterweight title and has previously won world titles at lightweight and super lightweight, including taking the lightweight belts from George Kambosos in Melbourne.
The details
The fight will take place at the Chase Center in San Francisco on December 20 and is billed as a unification bout between the IBF and WBO welterweight champions. Paro says he is coming to unify the division and make more history, while Haney has said he plans to take Paro's belt and become a unified welterweight world champion.
Timeline
June: Paro beat Lewis Crocker to win the IBF welterweight world title.
December 20: Paro and Haney meet at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Season Trajectory
Haney's move up to welterweight follows his earlier title runs at lightweight and super lightweight, positioning him to unify belts in a division where he is now competing against a champion who arrived by beating Lewis Crocker. The result would shape the welterweight picture heading into a busy December card that also features Nikita Tszyu, Jai Opetaia and Tim Tszyu.
A Paro win would give him three division titles across his career and leave Haney's welterweight ambitions unrealized for now. A Haney win would make him a unified welterweight champion and extend his unbeaten run to 34 fights.
The takeaway
Unification fights like this one are rare in boxing, and the December 20 date gives fans a concrete event to follow as both champions chase the same belts.
What happens next
The Paro vs. Haney bout takes place on December 20 at the Chase Center, with the outcome determining the unified IBF and WBO welterweight champion.
Further reading
Find more coverage in the Boxing section of San Francisco sports news.
