The WBA has rejected Teofimo Lopez’s request to reconsider his mandatory welterweight title defense against Jack Catterall, setting a fresh 10-day window for the two camps to reach an agreement. The sanctioning body announced its decision Wednesday, November 11, reaffirming that Lopez, its super champion at 147 pounds, must address the challenge from Catterall. The new deadline allows the sides to agree on a fight date or propose another acceptable resolution. It does not mean the bout has been signed or scheduled.
The dispute traces to the WBA’s earlier championship arrangements. After Rolando Romero was elevated to super champion, Catterall earned the organization’s other welterweight title by defeating Shakhram Giyasov. Lopez then beat Romero in August and inherited the mandatory obligation. The WBA initially ordered Lopez-Catterall in September, but Lopez’s representatives sought reconsideration while talks surrounding a possible Ryan Garcia unification continued. In its latest decision, the WBA said Lopez’s camp had not formally requested the special permission required to pursue a unification instead.
The ruling matters because it forces a choice in one of boxing’s most marketable divisions. Lopez can work toward the Catterall defense, pursue an approved alternative or face further sanctioning-body action if negotiations stall. Either side may seek a purse bid if no agreement is submitted within the new period, but no auction or title forfeiture has been announced. For fans hoping to see Lopez face Garcia, the immediate obstacle is now a documented WBA ruling rather than another round of speculation.