MANILA, Philippines — World Boxing Association (WBA) champ Rolly Romero looks to skip mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov to set up a clash against Filipino boxing great Manny Pacquiao.
Boxing Scene reported on Wednesday that Giyasov's promoter Eddie Hearn learned that Romero (17-2) applied a special exemption to the WBA so he could face Pacquiao (62-8-3) instead of Giyasov (17-0).
“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,” said Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Boxing.
“Shakhram Giyasov has been waiting and waiting, and we believe the WBA should not allow that special exemption to take place.”
This confirmed the rumors that Pacquiao is in talks to set up a title fight with Romero after coming out of a 4-year retirement last July.
The 46-year-old Pacquiao fought World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight titlist Mario Barrios to a draw, but it seemed like the world's only 8-division champ's camp isn't keen on having a rematch with Barrios.
Pacquiao even told the media last October that aside from Romero, he's in talks with a possible rematch against unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. and a bout against Vasyl Lomachenko.
In a letter to the WBA, Giyasov's team said that it “vehemently object to the granting of any special permit that would excuse Romero from satisfying his mandatory obligation.”
Giyasov has been the no. 1 contender for the WBA 147 lb. belt but stepped aside to make way for Jaron Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis in unifying the WBA and IBF welterweight titles.
Ennis defeated Stanionis to become the unified champ last April but moved up the super welterweight division, paving the way for Romero, who owned the lesser WBA regular title, to be promoted as the full world title holder.
This is why Giyasov's team is bent on pushing to give him his delayed title bout.
“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,” Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith said to Boxing Scene.
“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.”