Teofimo Lopez will not be getting the unification fight he had hoped for with fellow welterweight ruler Ryan Garcia.
Garcia retained the belt when he knocked out Conor Benn inside two rounds earlier this year, and he remains one of the biggest names in boxing.
Former unified lightweight ruler Lopez moved up to welterweight in August and won the WBA strap at the first time of asking by beating Rolando Romero on points.
He had hoped that a potential fight with ‘King Ry’ in early 2027 could be a title unification, but that required a ruling that would allow him to bypass his mandatory commitment against Jack Catterall.
WBA president Gilberto J. Mendoza has posted his governing body’s decision on the matter on X.
“WBA Championships Committee decision: Teofimo Lopez’s reconsideration request was reviewed. His mandatory defence vs. Jack Catterall is reaffirmed. Both sides have 10 days to reach an agreement. Otherwise, either may request a purse bid. @WBABoxing #WBA #Boxing”
Lopez must now decide in the next few days if he is to reach an agreement with British fighter Catterall or vacate his belt.
He became WBA (Regular) ruler back in May when he beat Shakhram Giyasov. His record sits at 14 KOs in 33 wins with two losses, and his best nights have seen him beat the likes of Josh Taylor, Jorge Linares and Regis Prograis.
Should Lopez pursue Garcia and decide to vacate the belt, Catterall would be upgraded to full champion and would go into a first defence against the next highest-ranked contender.
