Eddie Hearn has provided an update on Jack Catterall's ordered WBA (Super) welterweight title fight with Teofimo Lopez.
Catterall became the WBA (Regular) welterweight champion when defeating Shakhram Giyasov via unanimous decision in Giza, Egypt back in May.
After Lopez defeated Rolando Romero to win the WBA (Super) welterweight strap in August, he was ordered to defend the full belt against regular champion Catterall.
The two parties were given until 22nd October to reach an agreement, but the deadline has passed with Lopez instead pursuing a unification clash with Ryan Garcia -- who defeated Conor Benn to retain his WBC welterweight title on 12th September.
Catterall's promoter and Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn provided an update on the situation when speaking to iFL TV.
He said: "The WBA made their decision, because the decision was already made. In a chronologically gifted process that was in black and white, they ordered the fight [Lopez vs Catterall].
"Team Teofimo Lopez complained. They said: 'We'd like you to reconsider. We'd like to look at having a unification.'
"They appealed. The WBA have to go through a process, listen to both sides appeal, and they will do what they believe is right, which, I don't want to gloat, but they ain't changing their mind.
"This is pages and pages of legal resolutions over a period of time. It's immovable.
So, Jack Catterall will be fighting for the WBA world title next.
- Eddie Hearn (iFL TV)
"It will either be against Teofimo Lopez, or if Teofimo Lopez vacates his belt, Jack will be elevated to full champion and he will be in a big fight early next year in Manchester.
In the majority of cases where champions refuse to fight a mandatory challenger, they usually have their world title stripped by the respective sanctioning body, or they can choose to voluntarily vacate the belt beforehand.
In this case, Lopez's appeal to the WBA to bypass his ordered mandatory title defense against Catterall so that he can pursue a unification bout with Garcia means that the process will take a little longer, and the 33-year-old Brit will have to wait to find out what's next.
Hearn, however, appeared optimistic that the decision made by the WBA will favour Catterall and could even see him promoted to full champion without locking horns with Lopez.
