The WBA has denied Teofimo Lopez’s request to bypass his mandatory title defense against Jack Catterall, insisting the super lightweight champion face Catterall before any unification bout. Lopez had hoped to put his WBA (Super) belt on the line in a proposed February fight against WBC champion Ryan Garcia but was blocked by the sanctioning body’s ruling on Wednesday.
Lopez, with a professional record of 23 wins and 2 losses including 13 knockouts, petitioned the WBA to waive his mandatory defense against Catterall, who holds the WBA (Regular) title and has a record of 33 wins and 2 losses with 14 knockouts. The WBA rejected Lopez’s appeal, citing Rule C.17 of its regulations, which grants its Presidency and Championships Committee authority to enforce mandatory defenses for the Super Championship.
The WBA’s official statement clarified that while unification fights can be considered under a special permit described in Rule C.39, Lopez’s team had not submitted a formal request for this exemption. The ruling reaffirmed that Lopez must fulfill his obligation by defending the title against Catterall. Since original deadlines have passed, the organization said it will establish a new timetable for the fight.
Lopez and Catterall have 10 days to negotiate terms. If no agreement is reached, the WBA may call a purse bid hearing. Catterall is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, whereas Lopez is directly linked with DAZN, adding a layer of complexity to the negotiations.
Despite the order, it remains likely Lopez will vacate the WBA title to pursue the more lucrative bout against Garcia. Garcia has publicly expressed intent to fight Floyd Mayweather on February 6, though reports suggest that match is unlikely to happen. The proposed Lopez-Garcia fight is also being targeted for that same date.
If Lopez opts against facing Catterall, the WBA will upgrade Catterall to full champion status in the division. This outcome would end Lopez’s hold on the WBA (Super) title without a fight.
The decision marks a setback for Lopez’s plans to unify titles early next year. It also places pressure on his team to negotiate quickly or risk losing the belt without a contest. The ongoing tension between promotional interests and sanctioning body rules continues to complicate the lightweight division landscape as 2027 approaches.
According to Yahoo Sports.
