Teofimo Lopez weighs vacating the WBA title, which could make Jack Catterall champion

Lopez is considering giving up the belt rather than face his mandatory challenger. If he does, the Chorley boxer is expected to be elevated to full WBA champion; if he doesn't, the fight could land on the Fury vs Joshua undercard.

Teofimo Lopez is considering vacating his WBA welterweight title rather than defend it against Jack Catterall, Boxing News reported. Either way, the Chorley boxer stands to gain.

The WBA has confirmed that Lopez must face Catterall next or be stripped. That puts at risk his planned unification fight with WBC champion Ryan Garcia, which had been touted for May. Vacating would let Lopez fight Garcia as a challenger for the WBC belt instead.

If Lopez gives up the title, Catterall is expected to be elevated to full WBA (Super) welterweight champion and ordered to make his first defence against Mexico's Raul Curiel, the WBA's No 1 contender. If Lopez agrees to fight him, the bout could take place on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua undercard in Cardiff on 11 December, Boxing News added.

Lopez's team say they were promised the order would not come. Dan Rafael reported on X that Lopez's camp said WBA president Gilberto Mendoza had personally assured them three weeks earlier that the Catterall fight would not be ordered, and that Lopez would meet his managers, Keith Connolly and Mike Borao, and his legal team to decide whether he wants the WBA to be part of his future plans.

Catterall's claim goes back to earlier this year, when Rolando Romero was ordered to defend the belt against him but took a voluntary defence against Lopez instead, with Catterall lined up to face the winner. This week Catterall said he was "50-50" on whether Lopez would fight him: Jack Catterall to Teofimo Lopez: fight me or vacate the WBA title.