Jack Catterall has no intention of quietly surrendering his WBA welterweight position so Teofimo Lopez can chase a richer fight with Ryan Garcia.
“Not going anywhere, not stepping aside,” Catterall posted on X while tagging Teofimo, WBA president Gilberto Mendoza, the sanctioning body and DAZN.
That message arrived after Ryan stopped Conor Benn in the second round Saturday night and called Teofimo into the ring. Security prevented Teofimo from climbing through the ropes for a face-off, but the scene still created instant interest in matching the WBC and WBA champions. Catterall now wants to spoil the party.
The English southpaw defeated Shakhram Giyasov on May 23 to win the secondary WBA welterweight title. The WBA had previously ruled that its “super” champion must face the Catterall-Giyasov winner within 180 days. Rolando Romero held that belt when the order was issued, but Teofimo replaced him with a majority decision victory on August 22.
Unless the WBA changes its instructions, Teofimo has inherited Romero’s obligation. The 180-day period reaches its end around November 19.
That leaves the WBA with an uncomfortable decision. It can enforce its own ruling and push Teofimo toward a fight carrying far less money, or find a way to clear the road for the Ryan event.
The most likely answer involves paying Catterall. Public declarations about refusing to step aside often soften once enough money lands on the table. However, Catterall has already watched major opportunities slip away during his career. He has every reason to demand a substantial price instead of accepting loose promises about receiving his chance later.
Teofimo-Ryan is unquestionably the bigger attraction. It has two recognizable American names, separate welterweight titles and a ready-made story after Saturday’s attempted confrontation. Catterall offers none of that commercial heat.
He does possess the one thing capable of causing trouble: a WBA ruling that says he is next. Ryan and Teofimo may want each other, but Catterall has placed himself squarely between them.
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Last Updated on 2026/09/13 at 3:33 AM
