Shakhram Giyasov will replace the heartache of mourning his daughter with a determination to honour her memory when on Saturday evening he fights Jack Catterall.
On the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk-Rico Verhoeven they contest the WBA “regular” welterweight title, in what amounts to Giyasov’s first fight since April 2025, when weeks after enduring his two-year-old daughter’s tragic death from a rare brain condition he so admirably stopped Franco Ocampo in four rounds.
The 32-year-old risked his undefeated record that night to earn the status of mandatory challenger to the WBA title Jaron Ennis and Eimantas Stanionis were contesting later that evening, and almost inevitably he became emotional when he spoke, post-fight, but 13 months on he confronts his highest-profile opponent on the highest-profile promotion he has been involved in, and is aware of the extent to which victory can change his and his surviving family’s lives.
Giyasov, of Uzbekistan, can expect winning the lightly regarded “regular” title to lead to a fight for the full title held by Rolando Romero and therefore his biggest purses to date.
He regardless also sees in Romero’s status as champion an injustice given it was he, and not Romero, who previously earned the status of mandatory challenger to the by-then-vacant title Romero has since challenged for and won, but not unlike Catterall – also 32 years old, and of England – Giyasov has consistently had to fight to advance his career and it is partly for that reason that there exists between them a mutual respect.
“I was on a run when I found out what happened and they called me and told me what happened – my daughter had passed,” he told BoxingScene. “For the first three hours I couldn’t really talk; I couldn’t figure out what’s going on; what should I do. I thought that it was all over and that I was just going to pack my stuff and go back home. Then I talked to my father and my father told me ‘The achievement of your lifetime is so close – you have to move forward, you have to do this for your daughter, you have to do all of this in her memory’, and that’s what motivated me, that’s what pushed me through. For her – I had to push forward, I couldn’t give up. It was very tough; it was very difficult times. I never get past it – it’s always with me. But the goal remains the same – to become a champion, and to achieve what all my family dreamed about.
“I never think about it that she’s not with me – that she passed or something else. She’s with me – she’s always in my soul. She’s always in my prayers, every single day; she smiles to me and she’s always with me. All the achievements I have in my life will always be dedicated to her, as well as my family.
“At that time I did not think about any risks or any extra pressure on me. I only thought about what I have to do – I have to go out there and win by any means, and I did not think about any additional pressure on me. Of course, after the fight, I looked back and I saw the possibilities of stuff like that happening. I learn from the mistakes in my life, but never [look] too deeply into the past – I’m always looking to the future. I know what my goals are, and being a champion, you have to take a risk; you have to move forward to the challenges, and in my life it’s always been like that. I’ve always looked forward. I’ve never got stuck in the same place – I’ve always thought about moving forward and achieving bigger things.
“I have my second daughter now. In the future, God willing, we’ll have more kids.”
Reflecting on the reality that a month later, after the victorious Ennis vacated the title he hoped to fight him for, Giyasov watched Romero win it against Ryan Garcia instead, he said: “How can you call someone a champion if he has not been ranked in the top 15? In a lucky coincidence he got in there, for some fake belt, all of a sudden – not being ranked by anybody in this weight class – and beating another fighter who had not been ranked anywhere, and then avoiding his mandatory and not fighting anyone since. How is it a world champion?
“We were in line to fight Romero, who’s avoided this fight by any possible ways. A few names were offered. Jack’s name was the most known; he’s the biggest name out of everyone; there was [Harlem] Eubank; there were other guys. He was the guy with the biggest name, who fought at the biggest stages, and the most proven guy. It was a no-brainer – we go for the biggest and best.
“Fighting on this card makes only the best opportunities for me. It gives me an opportunity to achieve my dream of becoming a world champion, because the winner of this fight becomes the real world champion. The other guy’s not the champion. He didn’t deserve it. The belt that he had, he has nothing to do with it. This is the fight for the world championship and becoming a world champion is my childhood-and-lifetime goal and it’s what I’m trying to achieve.”
Catterall has won all but two of 34 fights. His first defeat was inflicted by Josh Taylor when Taylor was awarded the most controversial of decisions; he secured revenge in their rematch but ultimately lost in February 2025 to Arnold Barboza Jnr, leading to his moving up in weight. Saturday’s fight is also his first under a new trainer in Stephen Smith, after he stopped Ekow Essuman in his past contest under Derek “Bozy” Ennis, who in turn had replaced the long-serving Jamie Moore.
“He’s very experienced,” Giyasov said. “A very good opponent. Fast, experienced, and the best name out of everyone that was offered. I always wanted to fight and challenge myself against the best to become the best. He is definitely the toughest guy on my resume, and I’m looking forward to this challenge.
“It’s a world level, world-class opponent. He’s fast; he has good feet; a good IQ; good combinations. He’s a good, solid, world-class fighter, and that’s why I’m taking him very seriously and preparing myself for the best opponent.
“It’s absolutely not my business. He’s a grown man; a champion; he knows better what he needs. Everyone makes their own decisions. You figure out who you feel comfortable working with; whose technique; whose combinations; whose IQ. You have more in common, so if he’s making those steps it’s better for him, and he knows what he’s doing. Everyone’s picking their corner.
“It’s very hard for me to judge. It’s a very individual thing. Some guys need changes to feel better; to be pushed and moved forward. Some guys need and stay with the same corner for their career; through losses and everything. It’s very individual and I cannot really tell you what’s better for each individual. Some need stability; some need movement. It depends – each case is different.”
