Promoter Eddie Hearn is working to put together a deal for former two-division world champion Devin Haney to return to 140 to challenge unbeaten Liam Paro for his new IBF light welterweight belt on December 7th in Australia.
IBF Water Retrieval Limit: Haney’s Big Problem
The fight could be brutal for Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) due to the International Boxing Federation’s 10-lb rehydration limit. Haney, who is rehydrating a lot of weight, will need to reduce his fluids overnight to meet the 10-lb rehydration limit on the morning of the fight.
If Haney’s earnings from the fight are big, he could break the IBF’s 10-lb weight loss limit, but his chances of winning a fight against the heavyweight Paro (25-0, 15 KOs) could die. Whether or not Haney can make a safe return to the 140 lb division is questionable because he looked like he’s warmed up from his last two fights against Ryan Garcia and Regis Prograis.
The San Francisco native, Haney, had a skeleton on the scale of those fights, eyes sunken in and thin enough that one worried if he would make it through the fights. When a fighter is drawn like Haney, there are concerns for his health.
That could be one reason Haney was beaten by Ryan last April. His boxing stamina was second to none, and he was knocked down repeatedly by Ryan in a 12-round decision loss in Brooklyn, New York.
Haney will not be at his best. He’s still young enough to do it, but it’s a good idea for him to accept this fight if the IBF waives its 10-lb rule to make an exception. No one would do it if they had to hold back fluids until competition day, especially when she’s as big as Haney.
“I talked to him [Haney]and he says if the deal is right, I don’t think he would have a problem with going,” Hearn told BoxingScene.
Paro: A Fearsome Adversary
If the paycheck for Haney from this fight is huge, it makes sense for him to take it, as long as he can handle the IBF’s 10 lb weight loss goal. Haney fought twice in Australia in 2022, defeating George Kambosos Jr. However, the young ‘Emperor’ is nowhere near Liam Paro’s talent level, and it will be very difficult for Haney to beat him.
Southpaw Paro is a big puncher with a nice chin and is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision over IBF 140-lb champion Subriel Matias on June 15 in Manatí, Puerto Rico.
Paro used movement, thrusting, and bending to reduce Matias’ strength. Paro used a lot of roughhouse tactics, but they were successful against the limited Matias, who looked like he had no idea how to deal with what he was doing.
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