‘Underdog’ Liam Paro Wants to ‘Shock’ Devin Haney

Liam Paro (28-1, 16 KOs) will face Devin Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) for a welterweight title unification bout at Chase Center in San Francisco, live on DAZN PPV. According to Paro, Haney shouldn’t approach the fight like he usually does but rather prepare himself for an upset.

At their recent presser, Paro revealed that he had no qualms about heading into the fight as an underdog.

“I’ll always back myself to the heels. I’m used to being the underdog, and its less pressure on me, but this is as big as it gets. I know the challenge ahead of us, and I’m keen to share the ring with Devin,” he said. “This is a fight that’s for the cookies, and look, the winner of this fight arguably could be the king of the welterweight division.”

Paro is relishing the opportunity to upset Haney precisely because he believes the American has grown accustomed to being regarded as the superior fighter and wants to remind him that reputation counts for very little once the bell rings.

The Australian has taken particular exception to Haney‘s insistence that he operates on an entirely different level, as well as the suggestion that their previous sparring sessions demonstrated just how wide the gulf in ability was. Paro isn’t buying it. He believes those sessions, which took place roughly four years ago, have little bearing on what happens now, having since beaten Subriel Matias in hostile territory and captured a second world title against Lewis Crocker.

“I’m ready to prove him wrong and shock him, too. I do respect Devin [and] where he’s at. I want to be a superstar, too, and taking him out will make me that. This is everything for me. This is what I’ve worked for my whole life. I’m ready to come in there all guns blazing and leave no stone unturned. I’m going to give Devin the fight of his life,” he said.

“For A Reason”

However, he also recognized that Haney was where he was because of the sheer hard work he put in.

“He’s where he is for a reason. He’s a multiple-division world champion. You got to give him respect. Sparring is sparring, it’s been four years since then. I’ve won two world titles. I’ve fought elite fighters since then. I’m ready to come in and shock the world again. I tend to rain on parades, so I’m ready to go,” he said.

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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