Teofimo Lopez must face Jack Catterall next after Romero title win

Teofimo Lopez won the WBA welterweight title from Rolando Romero by majority decision, but his next fight could be dictated by a mandatory obligation against Jack Catterall. The WBA’s 180-day condition leaves Lopez at risk of losing the championship if the required defence is not made.

Catterall claimed the WBA’s regular welterweight belt by defeating Shakhram Giyasov in May. He is due to obtain his opportunity to challenge for the full title by November 19, putting him in line to meet Lopez rather than wait for the champion to pursue another bout.

Lopez entered the Romero contest after a wide unanimous-decision defeat by Shakur Stevenson in January. He responded by becoming a world champion in a third weight division during his first appearance at 147 pounds.

Romero was making the first defence of his title. Lopez controlled most of the contest, although a right hand in the fifth round seriously troubled him. The majority-decision result gave Lopez the belt and restored his position after the loss to Stevenson.

The champion has shown interest in unification fights involving Devin Haney and the winner of Ryan Garcia’s bout with Conor Benn. Those plans may have to wait if the WBA enforces its mandatory schedule.

The sanctioning body had permitted Romero to make a voluntary defence, with the condition that its champion complete a mandatory title defence within 180 days of Catterall’s fight with Giyasov. Catterall has publicly insisted that his opportunity should now come next, while the extent to which the WBA will enforce its own ruling remains unresolved.