Teofimo Lopez ordered to defend WBA title against Jack Catterall, potentially halting Ryan Garcia talks

The World Boxing Association has mandated Teofimo Lopez to defend his welterweight title against Jack Catterall in the upcoming future. The bout is set to take place on or before October 22nd, where Lopez and Catterall, who hold the secondary World title, will determine a single champion at 147 pounds. Catterall, who defeated Shakhram Giyasov to win the WBA World title in May, was initially expected to fight Rolando Rolly Romero.

However, the WBA granted Romero an exemption to face Lopez, with the winner obligated to face Catterall. This order comes shortly after Lopez defeated Ryan Garcia in a unification bout, which halted potential talks between Garcia and Lopez. Lopez, who holds 23 wins and 13 knockouts in his record, as well as Catterall with 33 wins and 14 knockouts, could still pursue a fight with Ryan Garcia.

This could happen if a step-aside deal is reached with Catterall or if Lopez vacates his WBA belt. Garcia had previously expressed interest in returning for a tune-up bout in December or January before a significant fight on Cinco De Mayo weekend, which would allow Lopez to handle the mandatory obligation against Catterall while preparing for a major unification bout.