Liam Paro says Devin Haney has gone quiet on their welterweight unification bout after talks between the two camps. The silence may have more to do with negotiating leverage than a lack of interest.
Haney and his father, Bill Haney, have little reason to let Paro know which opponent they actually prefer. With WBA champion Jack Catterall also available, keeping both camps uncertain gives Team Haney leverage to negotiate the better deal.
“Haney is ducking me,” Paro told Fox Sports Australia. “I’ve said I’m good to fight by the end of October, and we ain’t heard a thing.”
Paro also rejected the idea that his financial demands caused negotiations to stall.
“I’ll fight him next, no worries. You know I’ll fight anyone. And I’ve proved that my whole career. I’ll fight him in his backyard or mine.”
The former IBF champion may have more to offer Haney commercially than Catterall. Paro brings name recognition and interest from the Australian market. Despite his loss to Richardson Hitchins, he remains a rugged southpaw with enough power and physical strength to make Haney work.
Catterall involves a different type of difficulty. He is a defensive southpaw who moves, potshots, pulls away when opponents close distance, and frequently ties up. That could produce a difficult tactical contest for Haney without necessarily generating the same financial upside as facing Paro.
Catterall’s willingness to step in still gives Haney an important bargaining chip. His manager, Sam Jones, says they have accepted the proposed date and location while accusing Paro of wanting too much money.
Haney also received some unwelcome news from Ryan Garcia this week. Garcia placed Teofimo Lopez, Rolando Romero, and Shakur Stevenson among the opponents he wants after facing Conor Benn on September 12.
“I’m not in a rush to make that fight happen,” Ryan told The Ring about facing Haney again. “They have to sit with that loss.”
That leaves Haney needing someone to fight. Paro may think the silence means Haney is avoiding him, but it may simply be Team Haney waiting to see which welterweight gives them the better deal.