Eddie Hearn Tells Teofimo Lopez Fight Catterall Or Vacate

Eddie Hearn has stated that WBA champion Teofimo Lopez must either defend his title against mandatory challenger Jack Catterall or vacate the belt. Speaking to iFL TV, Hearn claimed that Lopez's camp is attempting to bypass the mandatory defense to pursue other matchups, specifically noting that a fight against Ryan Garcia would generate a substantially larger payday for the champion.

Hearn affirmed that Catterall possesses written assurances from the WBA confirming his status as the mandatory challenger. The article notes that the sanctioning body faces pressure to enforce its rules despite the potential loss of lucrative sanctioning fees from a prospective Garcia clash, with step-aside negotiations remaining a possible alternative.