Bold truth: the path to a world title in welterweight boxing is getting crowded with shifting plans, and Shakhram Giyasov may have to wait a bit longer for his opportunity.
Giyasov, Uzbekistan’s top welterweight contender, has sat at the No. 1 spot with the WBA for a long while, waiting for his shot at the belt. He agreed to step aside so Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis could unify the WBA and IBF titles, with the understanding that he would fight the winner. Ennis defeated Stanionis in six rounds and, with both Giyasov and Ennis aligned with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, it seemed Giyasov would finally get his chance.
Yet things didn’t unfold as expected. Ennis chose to move up to 154 pounds, which elevated Rolando “Rolly” Romero—the holder of the WBA’s secondary title—to full world champion status. Despite Romero’s rise, Giyasov remains the mandatory challenger, though Romero doesn’t appear eager to face him anytime soon. Instead, Romero has been discussing a possible bout with hall-of-famer Manny Pacquiao, who is pursuing another welterweight title shot after a July draw with Mario Barrios.
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Hearn, who promotes Giyasov, confirmed that Romero formally requested an exemption from his mandatory duty to face Pacquiao.
“We’ve been mandated to fight Rolly Romero, but his team filed an exemption to face Manny Pacquiao, which I don’t think is even approved yet,” Hearn told BoxingScene. “Shakhram Giyasov has been waiting, and we believe the WBA should not permit that special exemption.”
Giyasov’s side submitted a letter to the WBA last week opposing any special permit that would excuse Romero from his mandatory obligation. Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith told BoxingScene that the promotion would also press the WBA to grant Giyasov his deserved shot.
“It’s frustrating for Shakhram; we had the April agreement for him to step aside to enable the Ennis–Stanionis unification,” Smith said. “Giyasov was then due to fight for the WBA next. Romero, meanwhile, is linked to Pacquiao talks. Our focus has always been clear—Giyasov wants the world title, and we’ll push the WBA hard to deliver that opportunity because he truly deserves it.”
If you found this analysis compelling or disagree with the strategy, share your thoughts in the comments. Do you think Romero should be granted the exemption to fight Pacquiao, or should Giyasov’s mandatory shot take precedence? Also, would a Haney–Benn bout contribute positively to the division, or is it a misalignment of priorities for the era’s top welterweights?
