Eddie Hearn wants Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero to face Jack Catterall inside 90 days as an alternative of waiting the complete 180-day deadline the WBA has given for the mandatory defense, especially after Shakhram Giyasov already spent months waiting for a title shot that never got here.
Catterall (33-2, 14 KOs) captured the vacant WBA ‘regular’ welterweight title last Saturday night in Egypt with a 12-round unanimous decision over Giyasov (17-1, 10 KOs). After the fight, Hearn made it clear he wants Romero hurried right into a fight with the newly crowned champion.
“They’re two avoided guys, and so they were each mandatories with governing bodies. Jack was mandatory with the WBO. Shakhram was the mandatory for the WBA. They usually decided to simply roll the dice, and so they deserve all of the credit and respect for that,” said Eddie Hearn last Saturday night about Catterall and Giyasov.
“They’re two avoided guys. Two of the highest fighters at 140 lbs, and Jack was exceptional tonight. He began fast, he was aggressive, and now he’s got the portion of that world championship, but we wish the complete portion.”
The WBA officially ordered Romero to defend against the winner of the Catterall-Giyasov fight inside 180 days. Hearn believes there isn’t any reason for the method to tug out one other six months after Giyasov already waited roughly seven months for his mandatory opportunity against Romero following the WBA’s initial order last October.
“And thanks to [WBA president] Gilberto Mendoza, who put the official order out yesterday that the winner of this fight must fight [Super champion] Rolly Romero inside 180 days. Why wait 180 days? We don’t need 180 days. 90 sounds higher. And thanks to Turki Alalshikh,” said Hearn.
Romero has not fought since May 2, 2025, when he defeated Ryan Garcia in Times Square. Despite the inactivity, the WBA elevated him to ‘Super’ champion status while Catterall and Giyasov fought for the secondary belt in Egypt. Hearn now wants the WBA to maneuver quickly toward a Romero-Catterall fight relatively than allowing one other prolonged wait within the welterweight division.
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Last Updated on 2026/05/25 at 1:28 AM