Lopez Ordered To Face Catterall By WBA

The WBA has ordered welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez to face mandatory challenger Jack Catterall, giving the pair 10 days to reach an agreement or proceed to a purse bid.

According to Bad Left Hook, the directive stems from obligations Lopez inherited after defeating Rolando Romero in August. When Romero was elevated to super champion in May, the WBA stipulated he must face the winner of Catterall's clash with then-world champion Shakhram Giyasov within 180 days. Lopez stopped Romero three months after Catterall beat Giyasov, inheriting that mandatory commitment in the process.

Lopez Team Appeals WBA Ruling On Catterall

Rather than open talks with the British contender, Lopez and his team challenged the mandate and asked the sanctioning body to reconsider, per the report. The WBA declined, noting Lopez had not filed a formal request for special permission to pursue a unification bout. Chris Mannix reports that Lopez's camp plans to appeal and had submitted a request to fight Ryan Garcia on November 5th.

Catterall, who holds a 33-2 record with 14 knockouts, has waited years for a WBA title shot. Giyasov sat as mandatory for an extended period before finally getting his opportunity against Catterall earlier this year. Lopez, meanwhile, has had months to finalize terms with Garcia without a deal materializing.

If the appeal fails, Lopez faces a decision between fighting the slick southpaw or vacating the belt. Should he relinquish the title, Raul Curiel sits atop the rankings and would presumably get the call to face Catterall instead.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — WBA orders Teofimo Lopez to face Jack Catterall