LAS VEGAS — Teofimo Lopez thought beating Rolando “Rolly” Romero would open the door to the biggest opportunities in the welterweight division.
Instead, the WBA may have just slammed another door in his face. The sanctioning body ruled Tuesday that Lopez and Jack Catterall have until October 22 to reach an agreement for a mandatory title fight. If the two sides cannot make a deal, the WBA will order purse bids.
For Catterall, the ruling represents exactly what he has been working toward. For Lopez, it could force him to put his preferred plans for 2027 on hold.
Catterall Earned His Position
Catterall secured his mandatory position with a unanimous decision victory over Shakhram Giyasov on May 23 in Giza, Egypt. The WBA had previously established that the winner of Catterall-Giyasov would receive a shot at the winner of Romero’s title defense.
Catterall did his part. Romero, however, didn’t. The former champion lost his WBA welterweight title to Lopez by majority decision on August 22, putting Lopez in Catterall’s crosshairs.
Catterall enters the mandatory fight with a 33-2 record and 14 knockouts, while riding a three-fight winning streak since moving up in weight. The 33-year-old southpaw from Chorley, England has positioned himself for another world-title opportunity. Now he has a date with Lopez’s plans.
The WBA has given both camps until October 22 to figure out whether they can make the fight themselves. If they can’t, the purse-bid process begins.
Garcia Is Still the Bigger Picture
The intriguing part is that Garcia remains at the center of the welterweight division regardless of what happens next. Garcia is the WBC champion. Lopez now holds the WBA title.
Catterall is the mandatory challenger standing between Lopez and the bigger fights he appears to want. That creates a potentially fascinating sequence. Catterall wants Lopez. Lopez wants Garcia. Garcia wants to remain on top of the welterweight division. But boxing’s sanctioning bodies don’t always care about the preferred path.
The WBA has made Lopez’s next obligation clear. October 22 is now the deadline. If Lopez and Catterall don’t reach an agreement, the WBA will let the bidding begin. Teofimo Lopez’s road toward Ryan Garcia may have to go through Jack Catterall first.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
