Lamont Roach already has his subsequent task.
The reigning WBA 130-pound titlist knew a compulsory title protection was across the nook forward of his final combat. Such motion was taken on Tuesday, when the WBA ordered Roach to subsequent face Russia’s Albert Batyrgaziev. The 2 sides got till Aug. 22 to succeed in a deal and keep away from a handbag bid listening to.
“The [WBA] despatched the official discover to each events on Tuesday, July 23 and granted 30 days to finish the negotiation,” the sanctioning physique introduced on Tuesday. “The choice is predicated on championship rule C.10, which states {that a} champion should defend the title towards the subsequent obtainable high contender inside 9 (9) months from the date he grew to become champion.
“In Roach’s case, he received the title on November 25, 2023 and his subsequent obligatory protection expires on August 24 of this yr. [He] should measure himself towards Batyrgaziev in his subsequent bout.”
Roach (25-1-1, 10 knockouts) is The Ring’s No. 4-rated junior light-weight. Albert Batyrgaziev (12-0, 8 KOs) debuted at No. 8 earlier this month.
Each fighters are coming off stoppage wins simply two weeks aside.
Roach lodged the primary protection of his title in an eighth-round technical knockout of then-unbeaten Feargal McCrory (16-1, 8 KOs). The June 28 bout befell in Washington, D.C., Roach’s first combat in his house area in almost seven years.
It got here seven months after he dethroned then-unbeaten WBA 130-pound titlist Hector Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs), No 7. at 130, final Nov. 25 in Las Vegas. General, Roach has received six in a row since a Nov. 2019 factors loss to then-WBO junior light-weight beltholder Jamel Herring in Fresno, California.
Batyrgaziev has fought at an accelerated stage of opposition even earlier than his Gold medal run three years in the past in Tokyo.
The unbeaten Russian contender turned professional in July 2020, at a time when the Tokyo Olympics have been attributable to start. He was armed with three professional victories by time the quadrennial basic rolled round one yr later. He ran by a gifted featherweight discipline, together with Tsendbaatar Erdenebat (10-0, 5 KOs), Lazaro Alvarez (7-0, 4 KOs) and Duke Ragan (9-0, 1 KO) to convey house Gold.
Batyrgaziev since added 9 extra wins to his professional tally, included a choice victory over Alvarez final December 9 in Dubai. He claimed the interim WBA 130-pound title in a ninth-round knockout of Jono Carroll on July 13 in Serpukhov, Russia.
Per WBA rule C.13, Roach and Batyrgaziev should decide to present negotiations.
Roach can not search one other opponent since he’s inside 60 days of the deadline to honor his obligatory title protection. Ought to he fail to maneuver ahead, Batyrgaziev will probably be upgraded to full titleholder.
Conversely, Batyrgaziev’s interim title will probably be faraway from existence ought to he not honor the present order in place to subsequent face Roach.
The lone exception to both state of affairs can be if each side conform to face separate opposition. It might nonetheless should be authorised by the WBA.
