- Jack Catterall says his WBA welterweight title fight with Teofimo Lopez should happen next
- Lopez's manager gave a noncommittal response, with the WBA negotiating window running to October 22 before purse bids
- I think Lopez ends up taking the fight, and Catterall's southpaw jab makes him a nightmare opponent
Catterall Wants Lopez Next
Right then. Jack Catterall has been patient, and he has now made it clear that his world title fight with Teofimo Lopez should come next. Lopez's manager has given a noncommittal answer, which in boxing usually means the champion would rather talk about literally anything else.
Let's not beat around the bush about why. As I covered in our look at the WBA order, Catterall earned this the hard way by beating Shakhram Giyasov in Giza, and Lopez inherited the mandatory when he won the belt. The WBA ordered the fight with a 30-day negotiation window that closes on October 22.
What Happens On October 22?
If the two sides cannot agree terms by then, it goes to purse bids. That is the sanctioning body process working as designed, and it is exactly what protects a mandatory challenger like Catterall from being sidelined for a bigger payday elsewhere.
Lopez's Problem Is The Calendar And The Risk
The champion wants the big fights, and I understand that. But the mandatory is the price of holding the belt. If Lopez wants to keep the WBA title, he has to defend it. If he does not, he should say so and move on. Sitting in the middle, dodging the question, is the worst of both worlds.
Why Catterall Is A Horrible Style For Lopez
Catterall is a southpaw who boxes beautifully off the back foot, controls the distance with his jab and punishes anyone who gets over-eager. Lopez is at his best when he can load up and go looking for the big shot, and against a fighter like Catterall that is a recipe for a frustrating night. Make no mistake, this is a stylistic puzzle the champion would rather not solve in public.
The Prediction
My view: the fight gets made, either by agreement or through purse bids, and Catterall boxes his way to a unanimous decision. He is levels above where the casual fans think he is, and he has waited long enough. If you know, you know: this is the most dangerous mandatory in the welterweight division.