WBA Expected to Order Romero vs. Giyasov, Haney Reacts

Mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov in line as unification talk lingers

Rolando Romero is expected to be ordered into a WBA purse bid this week for a mandatory defense against Shakhram Giyasov. Once the notice is issued, the welterweight champion’s options narrow.

Dan Rafael reported that letters are set to go out to begin the bid process at 147 pounds. Once that step starts, deadlines apply. If no deal is reached in the allotted window, the fight proceeds to a purse bid and the highest offer secures promotional control.

That move would place Romero on a defined path at welterweight. Nothing has been made official yet, but once the order is issued, the direction becomes harder to redirect.

Giyasov arrives with deep credentials. Before turning professional in 2018, the Uzbek welterweight built one of the strongest amateur records in his class. He won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, reaching the final before losing to Kazakhstan’s Daniyar Yeleussinov. In 2017, he captured gold at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Hamburg and won gold again at the Asian Amateur Championships in Tashkent. He previously secured titles at the 2015 Asian Championships and the 2014 World University Championships at light welterweight.

His amateur success came through a compact, pressure-based approach. He stays balanced, works inside, and forces exchanges rather than circling at a distance. That style has carried into his professional run, where he remains unbeaten and continues to press forward behind steady offense.

The expected order surfaced only days after Romero renewed public calls for a unification bout with Devin Haney. His recent activity centered on headline fights and larger platforms. Giyasov, however, remained next in line under the WBA designation.

Under WBA policy, a unification can take precedence over a mandatory defense. If Romero reaches terms with Haney before the purse bid advances, the Giyasov bout can be delayed. That provision explains the reaction that followed the report.

Haney responded after the news circulated, posting, “All makes sense now!” The remark was brief but clearly referenced the timing between Romero’s renewed push and the pending order.

The WBA has not yet issued the formal notice. If the letters are sent as reported, Romero will soon face a clear decision: proceed with the mandatory defense against an Olympic medalist and world champion, or complete a unification that alters the order. The next step at 147 pounds will answer that question.