Giyasov on Stanionis fight, bear training, and his boxing future

Uzbek boxers, who have established dominance in amateur boxing, are now making strides in professional boxing, with several fighters competing for championship belts in different weight divisions. Among them is Shahram Giyasov, an Olympic silver medalist and the mandatory challenger for the WBA welterweight title.

Giyasov secured his title shot after defeating Mexican Miguel Parra in his last fight. However, he is facing difficulties securing a bout with WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis of Lithuania, who appears to be avoiding the fight.

Negotiations are currently underway between IBF champion Jaron Ennis and Stanionis, but Giyasov emphasized QALAMPIR.UZ that Stanionis cannot take the fight without his approval.

"Currently, my promoters and Stanionis' side cannot reach an agreement. They are demanding a large sum of money for the fight. We cannot pay the amount they are asking for. Then, they set their conditions, including the location and judges. They want me to be their prey, but that won’t happen. I can fight at the venue they choose, but I will not agree to their unfair conditions. The situation will be clear in about three weeks," said Giyasov.

This isn’t the first time the Uzbek fighter has faced Stanionis. They previously met in the 2016 Rio Olympics, where Giyasov emerged victorious.

Fighting a Bear: Giyasov Responds to Controversy
In his interview with QALAMPIR.UZ, Giyasov also addressed the viral video of him sparring with a bear, which sparked widespread debate.

"I didn’t train with a bear to gain attention. The bear’s owner is a friend of mine, and he always joked about whether I would fight his bear. I didn’t hurt the bear or mock it—I simply fought it. Of course, its mouth was closed, but if it were open, it could have seriously injured me. I was punished for this, but I never had bad intentions," he explained.

During the interview, the 31-year-old boxer also discussed his verbal exchanges with Shohjahon Ergashev, his main goal in professional boxing, and his retirement plans.