Russian contender Albert Batyrgaziev joins an esteemed list of fighters who the WBA prevented from getting a world title shot despite circumstances putting him well within his rights to at least challenge for a title. With other fighters such as Ronald Romero gaining outright title shots coming off losses, Batyrgaziev is heading towards a title defense of his interim title that likely should have been a full world title.
Olympic gold medalist Albert Batyrgaziev (12-0, 8 KO’s) and British contender James Dickens (35-5, 14 KO’s) will be battling tomorrow on July 2nd which will see the Russian fighter defend his WBA interim super featherweight (130 lbs) title. With the actual WBA champion of the division, Lamont Roach Jr. (25-1-2, 10 KO’s), expected to face Gervonta Davis for a second time later this year at lightweight (135 lbs), there is reason enough for Roach to at least be placed as a champion-in-recess.
Roach’s latest callout of Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KO’s) and WBO welterweight (147 lbs) champion Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KO’s), who are set to compete in a title bout even more so warrants action, given his complete lack of interest in fighting at 130 pounds ― a division he has been absent from since June of 2024 when he last faced Irish challenger Feargal McCrory.
“After I beat Tank [Gervonta Davis] I’m fighting the winner of Devin Haney and Brian Norman,” Roach asserted in a video that circulated on social media.
“There you go. I’m not saying it again; y’all can clip it, y’all can do whatever [but] that’s what I’m doing.“
Roach is aligned with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) who is well known for their mutually beneficial yet arguably corrupt relationship with the WBA, which explains Roach being given not one but two exceptions to face Davis at 135 lbs rather than being forced to defend his title.
Albert Batyrgaziev has been the WBA interim champion at super featherweight since defeating Jono Carroll (25-3-1,. 7 KO’s) last year, and is also considered to be the mandatory challenger. Carroll himself is a victim of the WBA’s bias, having attained a mandatory position with the organization on merit but being denied an actual title opportunity as the WBA 130 lbs title switched hands twice; both through PBC fighters including Lamont Roach.
The closest Carroll got to a world title opportunity with the WBA was his fight with Batyrgaziev for their interim title; a title which has not granted Batyrgaziev an outright opportunity yet.
Given Roach’s plans to leap up at least two divisions from lightweight to welterweight, Batyrgaziev does stand a chance of being elevated to full world champion if he does, yet there is also the possibility of Roach returning to super featherweight ― which would force the WBA to order a bout between the two. Either way, Roach has yet to complete a mandatory title defense since becoming a world champion by defeating then-incumbent champion Hector Luis Garcia.
While Lamont Roach had been ordered by the WBA to face Albert Batyrgaziev in 2024, Roach managed to sidestep his mandatory obligations through circumstances that have still not been expounded upon. The WBA’s mandate had followed shortly after Batyrgaziev’s win over Carroll but no purse bids ensued after the allotted time for the two fighters to negotiate expired.
More than half a year later, Roach would move up to face WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis whom he ended up sharing a split-decision draw with.
Batyrgaziev’s situation draws parallels with other WBA interim champions or mandatory challengers such as Ismael Barroso who was notably denied an opportunity to fight for the WBA super lightweight (140 lbs) title throughout his stint as interim champion. The same title would fall into the hands of four PBC fighters in a row since Rolando Romero was made champion despite being in recess. Gary Antuanne Russell is the current holder of the WBA 140-pound title.
