Teofimo Lopez wants Ryan Garcia, but Ryan will not be available for several months. That gives Lopez time to satisfy his WBA obligation against Jack Catterall instead of protecting his position while Ryan takes another fight.
Ryan discussed returning against Isaac Cruz or Angel Fierro in December or January before targeting Teofimo around Cinco de Mayo. Teofimo does not need to spend that entire period waiting.
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza stated in July that the winner of the bout between Rolly Romero and Teofimo must face Catterall next. Catterall now wants that commitment enforced.
“I expect the WBA and Gilberto Mendoza to stand on business, keep their word and honour what was agreed. Like I say, I don’t ask for favours, just what was agreed and what I deserve,” Catterall posted on X.
The sporting argument is simple. Ryan can take his winter tune-up while Teofimo defends against Catterall. If both win, the May date between Ryan and Teofimo remains intact.
The business calculation explains the hesitation from Teofimo. Catterall is a southpaw who refuses to provide easy counterpunching opportunities. Teofimo looked erratic against Sandor Martin and Jamaine Ortiz when those southpaws denied him clean exchanges.
Catterall offers another difficult tactical night without delivering the massive financial return of a Ryan event
Avoiding Catterall brings problems. Teofimo would reach May after a long absence while Ryan arrives sharp from a recent winter outing. A dominant victory over Catterall proves Teofimo belongs at the top of the division and makes the bout with Ryan much easier to sell on pay-per-view. Sitting on the shelf also hands Ryan total leverage over purse splits, ring location, and weight terms. Ryan draws massive numbers regardless of who holds the belts. Teofimo needs Ryan to secure the biggest payday of his career.
If the WBA allows Lopez to stay idle while Catterall waits, the organization confirms its mandatory rules mean very little. Teofimo has ample time to make the defense. The only genuine obstacle is the fear that Catterall ruins the entire plan. If Matchroom and Catterall legally corner the WBA and demand an immediate purse bid, the chance of Teofimo vacating the belt is extremely high.
Teofimo knows by now the belt is secondary in this equation. Ryan draws massive gate receipts and pay-per-view buys whether a sanctioning body strap hangs over his shoulder or not. Ryan proved that against Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney, generating elite commercial numbers without needing sanctioning body validation.
For Teofimo, holding the WBA title is useful for billing, but holding onto it becomes reckless if defending it requires facing Catterall. Catterall’s ring movement and refusal to trade invite the exact difficulties that caused Teofimo problems against Jamaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin. A spoiler-style decision loss to Catterall destroys Teofimo’s leverage, ruins the Cinco de Mayo payday, and drops him completely out of the conversation.
Vacating the belt would be a calculated business move rather than a surrender. If Teofimo drops the WBA strap, he removes the obligation, avoids the stylistic trap Catterall presents, and walks straight into negotiations with Ryan based purely on his own name and promotional profile. Dropping the belt costs him sanctioning fees and a piece of hardware, but risking it against Catterall could cost him tens of millions of dollars. If the WBA genuinely threatens to strip him, expect Teofimo to drop the belt first and claim he outgrew sanctioning body politics.
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