Bold claim: Shakhram Giyasov may finally get his long-awaited WBA welterweight title shot, but the path just got more tangled. Here’s what’s happening and why it matters.
Giyasov, the Uzbek welterweight who has sat at No. 1 in the WBA rankings for a while, agreed to step aside so Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis could unify the WBA and IBF welterweight belts. The plan was for Giyasov to fight the winner, a setup that seemed perfect after Ennis defeated Stanionis in six rounds. With both Giyasov and Ennis aligned with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, many assumed Giyasov would finally get his chance at the title.
Yet the dominoes didn’t fall as expected. Ennis chose to move up to 154 pounds, and Rolando “Rolly” Romero – holder of the WBA’s regular title – was elevated to full world champion. Romero’s promotion to “world champion” doesn’t erase Giyasov’s status as the mandatory challenger, but it does complicate the immediate plans. Giyasov remains the mandatory challenger, even as Romero appears reluctant to face him.
Now a new twist: Romero reportedly wants to fight Manny Pacquiao instead of facing Giyasov. Pacquiao, a future Hall of Famer seeking another chance at a welterweight crown after a draw with Mario Barrios in July, is the proposed opponent. Romero has formally requested the WBA grant an exemption to bypass his mandatory obligation in favor of Pacquiao.
Hearn, who promotes Giyasov, says Romero has submitted an exemption request to fight Pacquiao, a move Hearn doubts has been approved. He contends the WBA should reject the exemption and force Romero to honor his mandatory challenge to Giyasov. In parallel, Giyasov’s side has sent a strong letter to the WBA, vehemently opposing any special permit that would excuse Romero from his duties.
Frank Smith, Matchroom Boxing’s CEO, echoed the sentiment: the focus remains on delivering a world title shot for Giyasov. He noted how frustrating the wait has been for the undefeated, technically gifted southpaw, who agreed in April to step aside for the Ennis–Stanionis unification, only to see the title scene shift again. Smith emphasized that Giyasov’s priority has always been a title opportunity, not the choice of opponent.
Bottom line: Giyasov is still the WBA mandatory challenger, and his team, along with Matchroom, is pressing the WBA to secure him a shot at the world title. Whether Romero can secure an exemption to chase Pacquiao’s star power remains the central dispute, with Giyasov’s camp ready to contend that the timetable and rules should be respected. The question for fans and pundits alike: should a current world title scenario bend to the allure of a high-profile name, or should the established mandatory order prevail to preserve the sport’s integrity? And what happens if Pacquiao’s payday clash becomes the priority over a legitimate title reign for Giyasov? Share your take in the comments: should hype and headlines override the sport’s merit-based process, or is this exactly the kind of controversy that keeps boxing in the spotlight?
