Teofimo Lopez Denies Jack Catterall Mandatory Status

“He’s not. He’s not my mandatory,” Lopez said when Catterall was identified as next in line. “By the sanctioning rules, he’s not my mandatory, and I think they lied. I think they lied to him.”

“It’s in the contract,” Catterall answered.

Teofimo’s denial conflicts with the WBA’s own published ruling. When the organization elevated Rolando Romero to Super champion in May, it sanctioned Catterall’s bout with Shakhram Giyasov for the vacant secondary title and stated that Romero had to face the winner within 180 days.

Catterall defeated Giyasov and now holds that belt. Lopez may argue that the ruling named Romero rather than whoever defeated him, or that no separate order has been issued since Saturday. Neither explanation supports his claim that Catterall was lied to. The WBA publicly connected the two titles and imposed a deadline for bringing them together.

The exchange became entertaining because Lopez tried to rewrite the situation while Catterall was on the screen looking directly at him. Rather than explain the supposed sanctioning rule, Teofimo declared that the obligation did not exist and blamed unnamed people for misleading Catterall.

After making that denial, the new champion returned to the familiar claim that he will face anyone.

“I’m always willing to fight anybody and everybody,” Lopez said.

“I’m glad you won on the weekend because I know you don’t duck nobody,” Catterall replied. “It would have been more difficult to get Rolly into the ring. I’m happy for you, but we’ve got to get it on.”

Catterall played the interaction perfectly. He congratulated Lopez, reminded him that Romero would have been harder to bring into the ring and declined to turn the conversation into a shouting match. That left Teofimo arguing against a contract he had not seen while Catterall calmly insisted the terms were already written down.

There was also some clever pressure inside Catterall’s praise. Telling Lopez, “I know you don’t duck nobody,” gave the champion little room to reject the fight without contradicting the reputation Catterall had just assigned to him.

The WBA now needs to explain the status of its own ruling. It can grant Lopez permission to pursue a unification, arrange a step-aside payment or order the title consolidation. What it cannot credibly do is remain silent while its new champion claims the other titleholder was fooled.

Lopez is clearly trying to look past the mandatory to chase the massive paydays against the Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn winner or a unification with Devin Haney. Catterall holds the regular belt after beating Shakhram Giyasov, which, in standard WBA procedure, makes him the direct mandatory to unify the titles.

The Takeover vs El Gato? 👀

WBA welterweight champ Teofimo Lopez goes back and forth with ‘regular’ belt holder Jack Catterall on their standing with the sanctioning body 🏆#InsideTheRing | Latest episode available on DAZN 📺 pic.twitter.com/dQI6Yvmf6r

— InsideRingShow (@InsideRingShow) August 24, 2026