The Aussie said send the contract.
Reportedly, somebody finally did !
According to The Ring's Mike Coppinger, WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) and IBF champion Liam Paro (28-1, 16 KOs) have agreed to unify — in the US, before the end of the year.
Nothing is official yet. No date, no venue. But December is the target.
And there's a little history here.
Haney hasn't fought since he beat Brian Norman for the WBO belt last November. Keyshawn Davis said no. The Shakur Stevenson talks fell apart over weight and rehydration clauses.
Meanwhile the word from the US was that Paro was pricing himself out.
Paro wasn't having it.
"Haney is ducking me," the Queenslander told Fox Sports Australia. "I'll fight him in his backyard or mine."
Then on X: "Enough talk. Send the contract. Pick the date. I'll be there."
Tough talk — but the Aussie has form.
He went to Puerto Rico in 2024 and upset Subriel Matias for the IBF 140 lb title. His only loss is a split decision to Richardson Hitchins. Since moving up to 147 he has beaten David Papot and Lewis Crocker, and now he is a two-division world champion at 30.
On Friday Haney signed a multi-fight deal with DAZN and said he is "in position to fight anyone".
Good. Here's anyone !
Back in June 2024 we wrote: "Word is, the Aussie Paro maybe his next big assignment."
It took a while. We'll take it !
Can Haney's jab and movement keep the Aussie southpaw at bay, or will Paro drag the "Dream" into a fight he can't box his way out of?
🇺🇸 DEVIN HANEY (33-0) v LIAM PARO (28-1) 🇦🇺
🏆 WBO + IBF welterweight titles
📍 USA — venue to be confirmed
📅 December 2026 (reported, not yet announced)
Stay tuned !
Photo credits: Devin Haney — Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing USA; Liam Paro — No Limit Boxing.
Bacolod's Genesis Servania will fight China's rising star Aketelieti Yelejian for the WBO Asia Lightweight title this November.
The highly-anticipated match up will take place on the undercard of the IBF world title fight between Pedro Taduran and Zhu DianXing at Jeju Island, South Korea.
Aketelieti Yelejian, who suffered a narrow loss to the Prince Albert Pagara in June, rebounded with an impressive IBF Asia victory against Korean Jin Su Kim in Vietnam recently. He is a very rangy and deceptive boxer known for his relaxed combinations, and he's supremely confident in his ability to take down Servania and claim the title.
"I've studied Servania's style, and I know I have the skills to outmaneuver him," Yelejian said yesterday.
"I'm excited to represent China on the international stage once more, and bring home an impressive win against a top and proven boxer like Genesis."
Servania, a seasoned veteran with a 35-4 record, boasts a reputation for toughness that has come from battles at the top level. And has still possesses some of the best body shots in the sport of boxing.
This important title shot gives the filipino the opportunity to re-establish himself on the world scene once more, and it's best remembered that his only defeats have came against world-ranked champions like Oscar Valdez and Andres Cortes.
But the China team have already confidently stated that Yelejian's youth, speed, height, and reach may all prove too much for the Filipino boxer.
Their optimism also exudes for the world title bout, where surprisingly, they are quite dismissive of Pedro Taduran's hopes of beating star Zhu DianXing. They actually rate their boxer so highly, they have predicted that the champion has no chance of retaining the belt.
These claims set up an intriguing backdrop for two massive Philippines v China feature bouts.
Fight Details :
- Date: Saturday, November 23rd
- Location: Jeju Island, South Korea
- Title: WBO Asia Lightweight
- Contenders: Aketelieti Yelejian (China) vs. Genesis Servania (Philippines)
