Evgeny Romanov

Evgeny Romanov’s boxing journey is emblematic of a fighter who has excelled consistently from a decorated amateur career into a solid professional tenure. Born on July 20, 1985, in Volgograd, Russia, Romanov emerged early as a powerful and technically adept heavyweight with a long trajectory in the sport.

His amateur career laid a firm groundwork of significant achievements that positioned him among Russia’s elite. Romanov first made his mark by clinching gold at the 2003 European Junior Championships in Warsaw in the 91 kg division. This success was followed by an even more commanding performance at the 2004 World Junior Championships on Jeju Island, South Korea, where he stopped every opponent, including notable Cuban Robert Alfonso by referee stoppage and Azizjon Rahmonov of Uzbekistan in the final by technical knockout, both in the fourth round. These victories revealed his devastating power and ring intelligence early on.

Romanov consistently competed at a high level nationally, a challenging feat in Russia’s deep talent pool. He was a three-time silver medalist in the Russian National Championships (2005, 2006, 2008), facing some of the best amateurs such as Aleksandr Alekseyev, Roman Romanchuk, and Egor Mekhontsev, all champions at European and world levels. Notably, at the 2005 nationals, he defeated future Olympic gold medalist Rakhim Chakhkiev decisively. His crowning national amateur achievement came in 2009 when he captured the Russian heavyweight title, affirming his status in Russia’s competitive heavyweight ranks.

One of his most remarkable amateur accolades was in 2008 during the Russia vs USA dual meet, where he knocked out Deontay Wilder, who would later become the WBC heavyweight champion. This victory underscored Romanov’s ability to compete with future world-class professionals and showcased his raw power during his amateur tenure.
Transitioning to the professional ranks, Romanov made his debut relatively late, on July 30, 2016, at the Galaktika Centre in Estosadok, Russia, scoring a third-round technical knockout over Viktar Chvarkou.

Over the ensuing years, he quickly built an undefeated record, amassing 19 wins with 12 knockouts by September 2023. Romanov claimed the inaugural WBO Global heavyweight title on February 22, 2019, defeating Dillon Carman by first-round knockout at the KRK “Uralets” in Ekaterinburg, Russia. He successfully defended this title twice: first against Ariel Bracamonte by a dominant unanimous decision and then by a swift second-round knockout of former WBO heavyweight world champion Siarhei Liakhovich in November 2020.

In May 2021, Romanov stepped into the newly created bridgerweight division and won the inaugural WBC Silver bridgerweight title by outpointing Dmitry Kudryashov with a wide unanimous decision, demonstrating his adaptability to different weight classes while maintaining his tactical and physical advantages.

Standing 6 feet tall and fighting in orthodox stance, Romanov’s career embodies the progression of a technically skilled, powerful Russian heavyweight whose extensive amateur pedigree helped propel him into title-winning performances on the professional stage. His career, marked by solid title reigns and significant victories, offers a rich narrative from a talented amateur standout to a recognised professional contender in both the heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions.