Shakhram Giyasov is pressing to invoke his mandatory rights to next fight WBA welterweight champion Rolly Romero in a detailed letter sent to the sanctioning body and reviewed Saturday by BoxingScene.
Giyasov 17-0 (10 KOs), of Uzbekistan, follows an impressive line of boxers positioned to fight Las Vegas’ Romero next, including newly belted WBO champion Devin Haney and eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao.
Given the high-profile positions of those opponents, Romero has filed a special exemption to pause a bout with Giyasov.
Backed by respected manager Vadim Kornilov and attorney Pat English, Giyasov’s camp asks why a special exemption would even be considered given that Romero doesn’t have a signed agreement for another bout.
The effort to stage a Pacquiao bout stalled amid talk of a possible Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jnr rematch, and in that limbo, Giyasov’s representatives are pushing the WBA to order the mandatory match.
“We vehemently object to the granting of any special permit that would excuse Romero from satisfying his mandatory obligation,” the Giyasov letter detailed. “At various points, Giyasov has been provided with inconsistent and shifting justifications for why Romero is allegedly unable to fulfil his mandatory defense.
“Initially, we were informed that Romero was unable to satisfy his obligation due to a purported medical exemption. We are now told that the basis for the requested exemption is a proposed bout against Manny Pacquiao
“It is important to stress that this Pacquiao bout is not confirmed, has not been announced, and is entirely speculative. We understand it is merely being targeted – at best – for March 2026, some considerable way into the future.
“Further, there is open media speculation that Pacquiao may instead be engaged in discussions regarding a bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr., which only underlines the uncertainty and conjecture surrounding this purported basis for exemption.”
The Giyasov team then posted the WBA’s rules on mandatory obligations, including one that read, “speculative future bouts, not contractually binding and not officially sanctioned, do not constitute valid grounds for the suspension of a mandatory defense,” and “champions are required to defend against the highest available ranked contenders within the applicable timeframes to preserve sporting integrity and divisional clarity.”
Romero, 17-2 (13 KOS), last fought May 2, defeating Ryan Garcia by unanimous decision, a victory that led him to the WBA belt. Giyasov last fought in April, winning by fourth-round knockout.
His team wrote, “Granting a special permit on the basis of a non-confirmed, hypothetical matchup would undermine the credibility of the mandatory system and materially prejudice Giyasov’s earned position as the division’s leading challenger.
“It is worth noting that Giyasov has been mandatory challenger since February 2024 and has already been asked to defer his mandatory twice (for Eimantas Stanionis to attempt to unify and more recently with Romero being permitted a voluntary defence). It is particularly egregious in circumstances where Romero was previously permitted to delay his mandatory obligations on the express proviso that Giyasov would be immediately ordered to fight for the title in Romero’s next fight with no exceptions.”
Kornilov recently took on the WBA over undisputed junior-featherweight Naoya Inoue’s leisurely pace to stage a defense against challenger Murodjan Akhmadaliev, who ultimately lost by decision to Inoue in September.
In Romero’s case, the opportunity to meet Pacquiao or three-division champion Haney in a unification bout would be far more lucrative.
“Giyasov has complied fully with all WBA requirements, has remained available and has waited in good faith for his mandatory opportunity,” the letter read. “He should not be disadvantaged by commercial speculation or shifting rationales that fall well outside the intent or letter of the WBA regulations.
The Giyasov team repeated formally its request to deny Romero’s ability to gain the special permit to avoid Giyasov and order the champion to meet Giyasov “immediately.”
“Should the WBA decline to do so, our client will have little option but to pursue alternative routes to a world title, including opportunities outside the WBA framework,” the letter read.”We trust the WBA will act consistently with its rules and in the interests of fairness, transparency, and the integrity of championship boxing.”
