Haney Confirms Romero Speaks At 147 As WBA Mandate Approaches

The WBA is expected to instruct Romero to defend his title against Giyasov. The Uzbek contender, who won an Olympic silver medal, has built a controlled professional streak at welterweight and represents a serious competitive test.

Merger changes the enforcement order. Sanctioning bodies generally allow title holders to fight for a belt before fulfilling mandatory obligations. If Romero ends terms with Haney, Giyasov’s defense would be delayed. If negotiations fail, Romero must either defend against Giyasov or vacate the title. Haney said Romero’s team initiated contact.

“His manager approached us with a solid offer, something that made sense to me and my team. Now we’re starting to negotiate,” Haney told InsideTheRing. Haney also responded to criticism about the choice of opponents.

“We haven’t heard from Rolly since the Ryan Garcia fight. So, I didn’t take it personally. He can say what he wants to say. The world knows I’m ‘Deebo’ for a reason, because I’m the guy who pulls everyone up and wants to make the biggest and best fight happen. So the duck talk is for somebody else, not me.”

Romero has not publicly outlined his next move since defeating Ryan Garcia in May. Negotiations with Haney provide a path to a second titleholder and a higher profile event at 147.

For Haney, the fight offers an opportunity to unify titles in a new division and answer criticism through activity rather than reaction.

If an agreement is reached, the mandatory WBA will be postponed. If not, Romero’s next step will be determined by the sanctioning body’s order.