Jack Catterall and team remain resolute to force Teofimo Lopez showdown

Pointing to what they say are previous agreements made, with official communications from WBA president Gilberto Mendoza Jnr to back up their claims, secondary WBA welterweight beltholder Jack Catterall and his team remain resolute in their intention to force a showdown with the sanctioning body's full champion at 147lbs, Teofimo Lopez.

While Lopez and manager Keith Connolly have stated their desire to chase undisputed status by next facing WBC champ Ryan Garcia, possibly on Cinco de Mayo weekend next May - though February has also been reported - Catterall, his advisor Sam Jones and promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, all say they’re prepared to force Lopez’s hand to face him next.

“Jack Catterall is the mandatory for Teofimo Lopez,” Hearn told BoxingScene earlier this month. “That regular title was put in place because Rolly Romero ducked Shakhram Giyasov for years and they (the WBA) allowed all these fights. And eventually, I said, ‘look, have you got a problem with Shakhram Giassov? We'll make it easier for you. He'll fight Jack Catterall for the regular title. The winner must fight Rolly Romero within 160 days. Agreed. Signed. Everything.’”

In May of this year, Catterall, 33-2 (14 KOs), won a unanimous 12-round decision over Uzbekistan’s Giyasov to win that secondary title, commonly referred to as the 'regular' title. 

“Then they (the WBA) allow him (Romero) to fight Teofimo Lopez,” Hearn continued, “they write to us and they say just to let you know, Jack Catterall fights the winner, so it'll be a fight… We have emails from the WBA saying Jack will fight the winner next. That is it. And I will fight like a motherfucker to make sure that that is honoured...”

Lopez, 23-2 (13 KOs), went on to win a majority 12-round decision over Romero on August 22.

Catterall, 33, agrees with Hearn’s assessment.

“I've been speaking to Sam [Jones], been speaking to Matchroom,” Catterall told iFL TV this week. “They're in contact with the WBA. I believe he gets ordered soon and then it's up to Teo then. Does he want to vacate? We'll see. Sam basically said, "No, we're going down the WBA route. We're going to go after Teo Lopez.”

“This fight's been ordered,” Catterall continued. “Gilberto Mendoza said it. He put it on Twitter. He sent the emails to Matchroom. The fight's got to happen. So, it's over to Teo… Teo wants to fight Ryan Garcia, wants to fight Devin (Haney) and that's fine. But Teo's been the one that's been the advocate for making boxing great again. Let's apply these mandatories. Let's play by the rule book. Let's not swerve him. So, we're mandatory for his title and that's where we stand.”