Jack Catterall Says Devin Haney Used Him as a 'Decoy' for Paro Deal

Devin Haney's welterweight title picture has turned into a game of musical chairs, and Jack Catterall reckons he just got left standing without a seat. The Englishman, ranked #9 at 147 with a 33-2 (14 KO) record, now believes he was only ever a bargaining chip in Haney's pursuit of an IBF unification with Liam Paro — a fight his camp says is now targeted for Saturday, October 3.

The undefeated Haney, 33-0 with just 15 KOs across those wins, holds the WBO strap and has spent 2026 shuffling through opponents. Keyshawn Davis (15-0, 10 KO) was mandated for a shot but bailed after Top Rank won the purse bids, deciding the $2 million on offer wasn't enough. Paro, the 28-1 IBF champ fresh off a decision over Lewis Crocker, was next in line before reportedly pricing himself out. That's when Catterall entered the conversation.

The Decoy Theory

Catterall's manager Sam Jones flagged the concern early, worrying publicly that his fighter was being dangled to spook Paro into accepting a smaller payday. Jones was careful to note that Catterall had already accepted the fight, the date and the location — so if it collapsed, that was on the other side of the table.

It collapsed. Catterall now says Haney was never serious about facing him, framing the whole episode as exactly the leverage play Jones feared. Jones has since told reporters he believes Haney and Paro have struck a deal, with October 3 pencilled in for the unification.

Where Catterall Goes Next

The upside for Catterall is that he isn't short of options. He's in line for the winner of next weekend's WBA (Super) clash between Rolando Romero and Teofimo Lopez, and he says he'll be in Vegas to watch it live. Given he's coming off a unanimous-decision win over Shakhram Giyasov, sitting tight for a genuine title shot beats chasing a fight that was never real.

For Haney, the arithmetic is straightforward: unifying with Paro puts two of the four major welterweight belts on one man. Whether he pulls it off after burning through Davis, Paro's first ask and Catterall in a matter of months is another question. If the October 3 date holds, the tactics were ugly but the target was always clear.