Ryan Garcia and Teofimo Lopez in 'advanced talks' over welterweight unification
Lopez appears ready to give up his WBA title rather than face mandatory challenger Jack Catterall, as the pair target a fight with Garcia's WBC belt in the first quarter of 2027, according to Boxing News.
Post by @ringmagazine on X
Ryan Garcia and Teofimo Lopez are in advanced talks over a welterweight title unification fight in the first quarter of 2027, according to Ring Magazine's Mike Coppinger, Boxing News reports.
The main obstacle is Lopez's WBA title. He won the belt in August with a points victory over Rolly Romero but has been ordered to defend it against mandatory challenger Jack Catterall next. Lopez's team have appealed against that order, and Lopez appears prepared to vacate the title to secure the Garcia fight if the WBA enforce the Catterall bout.
Coppinger posted:
Post by @MikeCoppinger on X
Garcia, the WBC champion, made the first defence of his title in September, knocking out Conor Benn in the second round at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He said afterwards that he wanted a quick return.
Former WBA super-lightweight champion Isaac Cruz and Floyd Mayweather were both mentioned as possible next opponents, but Lopez, with whom Garcia has traded words in recent months, was seen as the most attractive option.
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