Liam Paro has stared down a Haney father-son onslaught in his first face-off ahead of a San Francisco world title unification shot.
The Australian IBF welterweight champion will face American star and WBO belt-holder Devin Haney on Saturday December 19 (Sunday December 20 - AEDT) at Chase Centre.
The pair were sparring partners four years ago, before Queenslander Paro won and lost his IBF super lightweight world title belt and then stepped up in weight to add another title.
Now a two-division champion, Paro fancies his chances of an upset, but his confidence - particularly in social media posts - has rubbed Haney's outspoken father, manager and trainer Bill the wrong way.
"Isn't it funny how when you get up under these lights, and you're looking at Debo (Devin), and you start changing all that shit you just said on social media," he said.
"Now, shout out to the Rose brothers (Paro's promoters). You guys said that you wanted to fight and you're smiling.
"I don't know what law of power you might be trying to work on us, but listen, we're not sleeping on you.
"Devin is coming to fight."
Haney wasn't thrilled with Paro's assessment that Richardson Hitchins - the only man to beat the Australian as a pro - was superior to him in some areas.
Paro didn't flinch, though.
"I've said what I've said. That's it. I stand by it. Like Devin said, we'll see December 19," he said.
"I tend to rain on parades, so I’m ready to go."
Claiming he was "levels above" the Australian, Haney was blunt when asked if Paro had improved since their sparring sessions in 2022.
"I think he's the same fighter that I sparred back then," he said.
"We know the things that Liam Paro has said and I must make him pay for that. I must show him that I'm a different animal (to Hitchins).
"Under those lights, I'm a different fighter."
Paro pointed to his upset of champions Subriel Matias - in his Puerto Rican backyard - and Lewis Crocker since then as evidence to dispute those claims.
"Four years is a long time to perfect your craft," he said.
"That's what I've done. I've won two world titles and fought elite fighters.
"I'm ready to prove him wrong."
