Teofimo Lopez has been ordered to defend his WBA world title against Briton Jack Catterall.<\/p>\n
Lopez became the WBA ‘super’ welterweight champion with a points win over Rolando Romero last month.<\/a><\/p>\n Catterall, 33, is Lopez’s mandatory challenger but the American has been campaigning to fight WBC champion Ryan Garcia in a unification bout<\/a> instead.<\/p>\n The WBA has now announced they expect Lopez to fight Catterall next, and the two parties have until 22 October to reach an agreement or there will be a purse bid.<\/p>\n Catterall became the number one challenger and WBA ‘regular’ title-holder after beating Shakhram Giyasov in May.<\/a><\/p>\n He acknowledged the WBA’s ruling on X, saying: “Hi Teofimo Lopez.”<\/p>\n The Chorley native last fought for a world title in 2022 when he was controversially beaten<\/a> by then undisputed light-welterweight champion Josh Taylor.<\/p>\n Lopez, a three-weight world champion, could withdraw from negotiations and relinquish his world title, which may lead to Catterall being upgraded to world champion.<\/p>\n Lopez attended the Garcia v Conor Benn fight week in Las Vegas earlier this month and was stopped from entering the ring after Garcia’s quick win.<\/p>\n