Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney will return in December and has given an update on Conor Benn’s next move.

Haney has not fought since victory over three-weight world champion, Jorge Linares in May and has been unable to secure a showdown with Ryan Garcia and Jo Jo Diaz, who both put themselves in line to face him by winning the WBC interim-title.

Garcia and Diaz were ordered by the WBC last month to face each other with the winner becoming the sole mandatory to Haney and Hearn has confirmed that ’The Dream’ will fight before the end of the year, with an opponent still to be finalized.

“He’ll be fighting in December,” Hearn told Pro Boxing Fans.

“We’re just trying to finalize his opponent at the moment. He wants a real fight, difficult. He wants to fight Ryan Garcia now, he wanted to fight Jo Jo Diaz. Neither of those guys will fight him. There’s some other guys we’re looking at.”

Rising undefeated welterweight, Conor Benn who signed a new multi-fight deal with Matchroom after beating Adrian Granados last month is also set to return in December.

Hearn says there have been discussions with former world title challenger, Josesito Lopez, who was beaten by then-world champion Keith Thurman in 2019.

Since that defeat, Lopez has defeated Francisco Santana and John Molina - with both wins coming inside the distance.

“We’re talking to Josesito Lopez’s team, which is a really good fight,” Hearn said of Benn’s next fight.

“I quite like the Chris Algieri fight. Chris van Heerden has been discussed and others as well.”