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Shakhram Giyasov Accuses Rolando Romero Of Avoiding Fight

By Ken Woods - 05/21/2026 - Comments

Giyasov says Rolando Romero never moved forward with their WBA-ordered welterweight title fight after months of waiting

Shakhram Giyasov believes Rolando “Rolly” Romero spent the last seven months avoiding a welterweight title fight against him after the WBA ordered the matchup. The unbeaten Uzbek contender said Romero never moved forward with the defense and bluntly added: “I think he’s scared of me.”

“Who is this? I don’t know him,” said Giyasov to The Ring when asked about Rolly.

“If you win on Saturday, do you think he’ll still not want to fight you?” said an interviewer to Giyasov.

“I don’t know. I think he’s scared of me,” said Giyasov.

The unbeaten Uzbek contender has steadily climbed the rankings for years but has struggled to secure marquee fights at 147. His bout with Catterall gives him a chance to finally leave the mandatory position behind and pick up a secondary version of the WBA title.

Catterall moved up to welterweight earlier this year after competing for most of his career at 140 pounds. The fight is part of Saturday’s card in Cairo headlined by Oleksandr Usyk against Rico Verhoeven.

The winner of Giyasov-Catterall could move closer to a future clash with Romero if the WBA eventually pushes for the titles to be consolidated.

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About the author

Ken Woods

Ken Woods has been a senior writer at Boxing News 24 since 2013, covering the sport from every angle. With years of ringside reporting, he delivers fight news, results, and analysis that cut through the noise. Ken’s work consistently spotlights champions, contenders, and rising prospects, giving fans a sharp, knowledgeable view of the global boxing scene. 


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