Teofimo Lopez is sitting down with his management and legal team to figure out if he actually wants to keep the WBA in his plans moving forward. The sanctioning body just ordered him to defend his welterweight belt against mandatory challenger Jack Catterall, and the immediate reaction from Lopez’s camp tells you everything.
“NEWS: Teofimo Lopez’s team says 3 weeks ago Gilberto Mendoza personally assured them the Catterall fight wouldn’t be ordered & Lopez could pursue a bigger fight. He’ll meet with his managers, Keith Connolly & Mike Borao, & legal team to decide if he wants to allow the WBA to be part of his future plans. #boxing,” said Dan Rafael on X.
Teofimo has stopped short of saying he will drop the belt, yet the wording speaks volumes. If his side had any real desire to mix it up with Catterall, they would not be sitting around plotting an exit from the WBA system.
His camp claims WBA president Gilberto Mendoza promised them three weeks back that Catterall would get bypassed so Teofimo could chase a massive payday. Mendoza owes the public an answer on that. The official stance from the sanctioning body states that Teofimo inherited the mandatory commitment the moment he took the welterweight super title from Rolando Romero on August 22. Both camps have until October 22 to work out terms before purse bids enter the picture.
Stylistically, Catterall represents pure problems for Teofimo without offering a massive purse to justify the danger. The British contender works out of a disciplined southpaw stance, glides along the perimeter, controls distance with a sharp jab, and punishes aggressive mistakes. We watched Sandor Martin and Jamaine Ortiz give Teofimo fits simply by making him lead, refusing to trade inside the pocket, and circling away from his power. Catterall has the exact tools to drag Teofimo through another frustrating night.
The financial upside looks completely upside down. Dropping a decision to Catterall destroys any massive showdown with Ryan. Picking up a decision keeps the hardware but does not build extra hype for that blockbuster. If this saga goes to a purse bid, Matchroom holds the muscle to outbid Top Rank, take control of the promotion, and stick Teofimo on hostile territory.
The calendar is open for this defense anyway. Ryan is currently in talks to face Isaac Cruz, meaning Teofimo does not have to clear his schedule right this second to stay in position. That reality makes this summit with Connolly, Borao, and the attorneys look weak. Teofimo possesses a clear path to defend the belt, collect a win, and still secure Ryan down the road.
A champion cannot reasonably claim the title’s advantages while treating its mandatory challenger as an inconvenience to be removed.
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