Rolly Romero's Request for Exemption from the WBA: A Potential Roadblock for Shakhram Giyasov
The highly anticipated bout between Shakhram Giyasov and the WBA 147lb titleholder has hit a snag. Giyasov, a welterweight from Uzbekistan, has been patiently waiting for his shot at the belt, having been ranked No. 1 by the WBA for some time. However, things took an unexpected turn when Jaron "Boots" Ennis emerged victorious in his unification bout with Eimantas Stanionis, and both Giyasov and Ennis are signed to Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.
Ennis' decision to move up to 154lbs elevated Rolando "Rolly" Romero to full world titleholder status, holding the lesser WBA regular title. Despite this, Giyasov remains the mandatory challenger. But here's the twist: Romero has been in talks for a bout with Hall of famer Manny Pacquiao, who is seeking another shot at the welterweight title after his draw with Mario Barrios in July. This has led to a potential controversy.
Eddie Hearn, Giyasov's promoter, revealed that Romero has launched a request to the WBA to avoid his mandatory bout and face Pacquiao instead. Hearn expressed his belief that the WBA should not grant this special exemption, stating, "We’ve been mandated to fight Rolly Romero, [Romero's team] put in an exemption request to face Manny Pacquiao, which I don’t believe is even done. Shakhram Giyasov has been waiting and waiting, and we believe the WBA should not allow that special exemption to take place."
Giyasov's team has vehemently objected to the special permit, and Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith echoed Hearn's sentiments, emphasizing the frustration of the situation. Smith stated, "It’s frustrating for Shakhram; we obviously had the fight in April where he agreed to step aside to allow the Ennis [versus Stanionis unification] fight to happen for the WBA and IBF. Giyasov was then due to fight for the WBA next. Romero, there’s talks of him fighting Manny Pacquiao, I believe. The focus for us – and Shakhram has always said – it doesn't matter who the opponent is; he just wants to fight for the world title. Now it’s our job to deliver that, and we’ll be pushing the WBA very hard and we’re hopeful that we can get him this opportunity because he truly deserves it."
The situation raises questions about the WBA's decision-making process and the fairness of prioritizing certain fighters over others. Will the WBA grant Romero's exemption, or will Giyasov get his long-awaited shot at the title? The boxing world awaits the WBA's verdict, with the potential for a heated debate among fans and experts alike.
