WBA Orders Teofimo Lopez to Defend Welterweight Title Against Jack Catterall
The short version
- WBA ordered Teofimo Lopez (23-2, 13 KOs) to face Jack Catterall (33-2, 14 KOs) in a mandatory welterweight bout.
- Negotiations must be completed by Oct. 22 or the fight goes to a purse bid.
- Lopez won the WBA title by majority decision over Rolando Romero on Aug. 22, 2026.
- Catterall earned secondary WBA welterweight honors by beating Shakhram Giyasov in May.
The sanctioning body has mandated negotiations for a bout between Lopez and Catterall, with an Oct. 22 deadline before a purse bid is triggered.
The World Boxing Association announced Tuesday that welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez (23-2, 13 KOs) has been ordered to face Jack Catterall (33-2, 14 KOs) in a mandatory title defense. Camps for both boxers have until Oct. 22 to finalize terms. If no agreement is reached, the fight will go to a purse bid.
Lopez claimed the WBA's top welterweight belt on Aug. 22, 2026, beating Rolando "Rolly" Romero by majority decision. Catterall holds a secondary version of the WBA welterweight title, which he won by defeating Shakhram Giyasov in May.
Under the WBA's framework, Catterall's victory over Giyasov guaranteed him a shot at the primary championship. Romero was allowed one optional defense before having to face the Englishman, and when he lost to Lopez, that obligation transferred to the new champion.
In its order, the WBA stated that Lopez succeeded Romero as super champion and inherited the obligations set by its championship committee. Lopez has not publicly commented on the directive.
Catterall, meanwhile, addressed Lopez directly on X, suggesting they meet on the Fury-Joshua card and adding that he would otherwise travel to America to take the belt. Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed the WBA's decision on social media and said negotiations had been ordered.
