The Ring’s Mike Coppinger on Thursday's episode of "Inside The Ring" that the two sides have reached a deal and the bout is expected to take place in the U.S. before the end of the year.

Haney (33-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) holds the WBO title, and Paro is the IBF champion.

Haney, The Ring’s No. 1-ranked welterweight and No. 8-ranked fighter pound-for-pound, hasn’t fought since beating Brian Norman Jr. by unanimous decision to become the WBO welterweight champion on November 22 in Saudi Arabia. The 27-year-old from Oakland, California, became a three-division champion with the dominant decision victory over Norman (29-1, 23 KOs).

Haney had been in discussions to face The Ring and WBO 140-pound champion Shakur Stevenson. Those talks fell through, with the weight and a rehydration clause being among the issues that prevented it from coming to fruition.

Paro (28-1, 16 KOs), 30, became a two-division champion when he beat Lewis Crocker by unanimous decision on June 24 in Australia. The Australian southpaw has won three straight fights since losing his IBF 140-pound title to Richardson Hitchins by split decision in December 2024.