Catterall sends message to Lopez ahead of WBA deadline

The Brit wants his mandatory title shot, while Lopez has his eyes on a potential clash with Ryan Garcia in 2027.

Jack Catterall has announced that he is apparently ready to face Teofimo Lopez, and this is exactly what Teofimo Lopez was a little worried about, since this would be a mandatory defense of his WBA welterweight title, and he is actually hoping for a bout with Ryan Garcia in the spring of '27.

“READY FOR A FIGHT”

Jack Catterall wrote this one day before the deadline.

With these words, however, he makes his position very clear. He wants this fight, which makes perfect sense for him. The WBA hasn’t set an official date yet, but if they do, Teofimo Lopez will likely have to vacate his title if he wants to go through with the fight against Ryan Garcia. From a financial standpoint, the fight against Ryan Garcia obviously makes much more sense for him, since it attracts far more attention. It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out in the end and how the title picture ultimately unfolds. What do you think?

I’m assuming that Teofimo Lopez will vacate his title and wait for the fight with Ryan Garcia instead. I think the financial difference is just too big for him to pass up. I’m curious to see what actually happens, though.