Eddie Hearn Wants To Make Liam Paro v Devin Haney For December 7 In Australia

Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn has revealed he is in the process of trying to make Liam Paro’s first world title defense in Australia and the priority is to have Devin Haney as his opponent.

Paro (25-0-0 15 KO) shook up the super-lightweight division in June when he stunned IBF champion Subriel Matias in the Puerto Rican’s homecoming fight. Two months earlier, Haney (31-0-0 15 KO) lost for the first time in his career against fierce rival Ryan Garcia, although he retained his WBC title after Garcia missed weight by more than three pounds.

The defeat was reversed and the result changed to a no-contest after Garcia failed two drug tests. However, Haney has since vacated his WBC belt for refusing to fight mandatory challenger Sandor Martin after underwhelming purse bids.

An immediate return to challenge for a world title could appeal to Haney, although whether he would be interested in a third trip to Australia is another matter. The Californian twice traveled to Melbourne in 2022 to defeat George Kambosos to win and then retain the IBF, WBC, and WBO lightweight world titles.

“It’s a good fight. It’s a fight that Devin thinks he can win. Obviously, he can come back. He’s in recess with the WBC, so it’s a unification/regaining a title [fight],” Hearn said. “It’s a fight that Liam would like as well.

“Devin’s got a good profile in Australia with those two Kambosos fights. So it could be an option. I spoke to him [on Thursday] night, and he says if the deal’s right, I don’t think he’d have a problem going.”

After Paro’s impressive win over Matias, Hearn promised the Australian fighter a homecoming fight, which will go ahead whether it’s against Haney or another opponent. He mentioned the possibility of it being the winner of the Jack Catterall v Regis Prograis bout, but their delayed fight makes the timing less than ideal.

“The plan for Liam Paro is to fight December 7 in Australia. That’s the aim. We’re in conversations with various state governments to hold Liam Paro’s fight. Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide,” Hearn said.

“There is still a chance [the opponent] could be the [Jack] Catterall-[Regis] Prograis winner, but that’s unlikely, given the timing. I still would like to look at a fight between Devin Haney and Paro, or if not, another contender in the division.

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“I like the Kambosos fight. Obviously, it’s two Aussies; Kambosos has been at lightweight for a long time; that’s a fight that could make sense. No major discussions, but it would be an interesting fight.”

While the arrangements are still at the early stages, Hearn said he wants to put popular British heavyweight Johnny Fisher on the undercard, as well as IBF cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia and women’s WBC featherweight world title-holder Skye Nicolson.

Fisher is building a rapidly expanding fanbase in the UK, thanks in large part to his social media star father, while both Opetaia and Nicolson are booked on the October 12 undercard in Riyadh, where Artur Beterbiev and Dimitrii Bivol will contest the undisputed light-heavyweight world titles.

“He would definitely go on that Australia card as well,” Hearn said of Fisher. “He’s actually got a really big following, him and his dad [John] in Australia, so he’d be on.

“Pending how Skye Nicolson gets on against Raven Chapman, she could be on that card as well. That would make sense. Justis Huni as well, likely to be on that card; maybe even Jai Opetaia, pending on how he gets on on October 12. It could be a massive card.”