BoxRec

What did everyone think of his win over Thaxton? Should Yuri go for the WBA title fight after adding yet another Brit scalp? Is he European class, or is he world class?

Personally I think he can go to the top - the lightweight champs are experienced but old and inconsistent - and I reckon he'd beat Michael Katsidis which would be an awesome fight.

I like how Romanov has taken the hard fights, gotten over the bad performances (Earl, Zoff) to put in some scintillating showings (Juan Carlos Diaz Melero, Thaxton).

Good to see blokes like Romanov doing well, old school men who'll fight anyone and impress away from home.

He's only 25, yet he's fought Thaxton, Diaz Melero, Zoff, Tontchev, Vanzie, Earl and Steve Murray. Will Khan have equal names on the ledger when he's 25, and the improvements that come with facing good fighters like these?

Katsidis Is open to hooks which Yuri was good at using against Thaxton.

Wouldn't go as far to say Yuri would clean up but he could win a title.

Yuri has a tight defence and Is patient like Limond but more on a higher level to Limond so maybe Khan's volume handspeed could open his guard up like he did with Willie but he can't drop his hands.

Wasn't that Spanish guy beating him too until he sparked him?

Yes, Juan Carlos Diaz Melero demonstrated Khan-like speed/movement/fast punching. Romanov got dropped then after the count, found the punch to leave Melero on his back in the same round.

That was a hard period for Romanov, after inactivity, Earl fight, then being away from home vs Melero the EBU champ...and he got through it thankfully.

I think the Thaxton win will be a bit underrated as Thaxton beat up Meager and cought up with Stewart to prove himself the top man in Britain.

The worst style for Romanov is Juan Diaz and Diaz has just been spanked by Nate Campbell, and probably has had shattered confidence. When a bully is beaten he's never the same, ala Lacy...Romanov can do a better job than Katsidis vs Casamayor & can do a better job than Diaz vs Campbell. Yuri can win a world title; I think he's good/seasoned enough.

Max Molyneux wrote:Katsidis Is open to hooks which Yuri was good at using against Thaxton.
Wouldn't go as far to say Yuri would clean up but he could win a title.

Yuri has a tight defence and Is patient like Limond but more on a higher level to Limond so maybe Khan's volume handspeed could open his guard up like he did with Willie but he can't drop his hands.

Wasn't that Spanish guy beating him too until he sparked him?

Katsidis is open to everything!

So which belt holder should Romanov go after?

He should ignore Warren who may use Romanov's name to stir interest in a lesser Khan fight. Forget about the UK, until he comes back with a world title to defend against one of our top prospects & there are going to be plenty coming through.

Autobarn wrote:

Max Molyneux wrote:Katsidis Is open to hooks which Yuri was good at using against Thaxton.
Wouldn't go as far to say Yuri would clean up but he could win a title.

Yuri has a tight defence and Is patient like Limond but more on a higher level to Limond so maybe Khan's volume handspeed could open his guard up like he did with Willie but he can't drop his hands.

Wasn't that Spanish guy beating him too until he sparked him?

Katsidis is open to everything!

So which belt holder should Romanov go after?

He should ignore Warren who may use Romanov's name to stir interest in a lesser Khan fight. Forget about the UK, until he comes back with a world title to defend against one of our top prospects & there are going to be plenty coming through.

Whoever he can get in the ring. David Diaz would be the easiest but Diaz is fighting Pacman. The WBC aren't going to let a dangerman get hold of the beloved Pacman. Nate Campbell may be hard to get in the ring. Casa isn't fighting a high risk low reward type guy hes too old for that. So hopefully he gets a Campbell fight but I cant see them going for it unless hes a mando.

I'd say hes 50-50 against any of them but there are no gimme titles at 135

Apparently Campbell caused a stir at the Casmamayor-Katisidis press conference asking for a rematch, which i found strange considering Campbell appears to hold all the cards. I didn't see Romanov last night but from past experience he is potentially world class but has chinks in the armour and a fight with Khan would be a good one.

I think Romanov being a classy Eastern European fighter, the way to beat him is to push him back and force him into a pace. Because brilliant as he is, he likes to take his time & he likes to have his room. It would have to be perfect, educated pressure but it can be done.

In a few years I'd love to see Romanov vs John Murray. Murray should get the push by his promoters now with the Thaxton show near its end. Just like I want to see Zaurbek Baysangurov v Jamie Moore. Similar scenario fights, shades of Tszyu-Hatton.

The Thaxton win Isn't under or overrated, hardly anyone gave Jon a chance and he couldn't even land properly and was just dancing around bouncing his hands up and down.

Stewart was winning that fight until Thaxton scored the knockdowns and then stopped him.

Most British and Euro Lightweights would beat the same Thaxton, he's overrated because he called Khan out and may have a punch.

Still a good title defence for Romanov, a solid all round performance.

Romanov's route to a World title is Jose Alfaro WBA 'regular' champion .

Well when he came to Britain as a 19/20 year old against the likes of Murray and Vanzie he looked like the best prospect in world boxing.

I don't think he'll ever quite fulfil that potential now.... but yeah the Lightweight devision is going through a transition and it could be Ramonov's time.

But I still like Khan.

BigEars wrote:Romanov's route to a World title is Jose Alfaro WBA 'regular' champion .

If the titles split up, which they will, "super champ" and "regular champ" have to square off to decide whom the man is.

I want to see Romanov do well on the world scene. Hopefully a British promoter signs him because he has world class potential, arguably.

Terry D wrote:

Autobarn wrote:Yes, Juan Carlos Diaz Melero demonstrated Khan-like speed/movement/fast punching. Romanov got dropped then after the count, found the punch to leave Melero on his back in the same round.

That was a hard period for Romanov, after inactivity, Earl fight, then being away from home vs Melero the EBU champ...and he got through it thankfully.

I think the Thaxton win will be a bit underrated as Thaxton beat up Meager and cought up with Stewart to prove himself the top man in Britain.

The worst style for Romanov is Juan Diaz and Diaz has just been spanked by Nate Campbell, and probably has had shattered confidence. When a bully is beaten he's never the same, ala Lacy...Romanov can do a better job than Katsidis vs Casamayor & can do a better job than Diaz vs Campbell. Yuri can win a world title; I think he's good/seasoned enough.

I have the Melero fight and you are right, Yuri struggled with the speed for a round but stayed calm and landed big shots to finish the fight once he'd found his range.

It was a good performance away from home for Romanov and shows he can handle speed a lot beter than most fighters, probably because his style is so correct.

yeah there's a great amateur recording of the fight because spanish TV wouldn't pick it up. good fight. romanov could easily have come unstuck - in his 1st fight back after earl - and we wouldn't be talking about him now. melero looked very fast and mobile. i like fighters who can fight through adversity. melero just went limp; it was almost funny.

apart from that my fave romanov showings are vs steve murray, bobby vanzie and now thaxton.

i hope an english or a US promoter will get a piece of him & make sure he gets meaningful fights. would hate to see him just drift off into oblivian again.i kind of doubt he'd go with maloney or warren though!

Romanov is a class act....cool under pressure and slowly punishes his opposition. Tight defensively, doesn't waste energy and technically sound.

On the downside he's a little bit one paced, and his footspeed isn't the best which means he'd have major problems against a quicksilver fighter like Khan.

Romanov's style reminds me a bit of Tszyu. Obviously he's not on Kostya's level - nor is he as powerful - but he's definitely ready for a world title tilt. It'd be a very dangerous fight for Khan at this stage, but it's probably the kind of fight he needs if we're going to find out how good he is.

I saw him in the flesh. Was amazed how much shorter than me when we weigh the same but unlike me he was very powerfully built.

Real sneaky counter punching skills, very heavy handed. If you do something stupid like leave your guard down he whacks you. Think Romanov is very dangerous, composed puncher.

World class, can win a belt. Like his chances v Nate Campbell. At some point, even ifhe gets outboxed, he nails em whether it be campbell or kahn.