The WBO is moving towards creating an interim championship at 140 pounds in light of Teofimo Lopez's failure to agree to terms on a title defense. WBO president Gustavo Oilveri tweeted today, "In light of the uncertainty regarding [WBO junior welterweight champion] Teofimo Lopez’s career, it is in the best interest of boxing and the 140-pound division, recommending to the WBO Championship Commitee that Arnold Barboza vs. Jack Catterall be sanctioned for the interim title and mandatory [challenger position] subject to specific conditions and time frame to fight Lopez to terminate the interim champion status and have only one [WBO] champion in the 140-pound. The show must go on."

 

Catterall is laready scheduled to face Barboza at Co-op Live in Manchester, England on Saturday February 15th, live worldwide on DAZN. Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) floored Regis Prograis twice in the ninth round in October en route to decisioning the former two-time champion. That win capped a memorable 2024 for ‘El Gato’, who earlier in the year avenged the sole loss of his career against bitter rival Josh Taylor.

 

California’s Barboza Jr (31-0, 11 KOs) outpointed Jose Carlos Ramirez over ten rounds last time out.