Teofimo Lopez has been officially ordered to defend his WBA world title against British boxer Jack Catterall. Lopez secured the WBA "super" welterweight championship last month with a points victory over Rolando Romero. Catterall, 33, is Lopez’s mandatory challenger, meaning he is the next fighter the WBA expects Lopez to face. However, Lopez has been pushing for a unification bout against WBC champion Ryan Garcia instead. The WBA has now made it clear that Lopez must face Catterall next, giving both camps until October 22 to reach an agreement. If they fail to do so, a purse bid—a process to determine how much money each fighter should receive—will be held to finalize the fight. Catterall climbed to the top of the WBA rankings after defeating Shakhram Giyasov in May, earning the WBA "regular" title. He acknowledged the WBA’s ruling on social media with a simple message: “Hi Teofimo Lopez.” Catterall, a native of Chorley in England, last fought for a world title in 2022 when he was controversially defeated by then-undisputed light-welterweight champion Josh Taylor. If Lopez refuses to fight Catterall, he could lose his title, potentially allowing Catterall to be upgraded to a world champion. Lopez, a three-weight world champion, recently attended the fight week for the Garcia vs. Conor Benn matchup in Las Vegas. However, he was prevented from entering the ring after Garcia won quickly. Lopez has two losses in his career: a points defeat to George Kambosos Jr in 2021 and a recent decision loss to Shakur Stevenson in January. Catterall, meanwhile, has only two losses on his record—both to Taylor and Arnold Barboza Jr—and has compiled a record of 33 wins with 14 stoppages. The upcoming fight could mark a significant turning point for both fighters. For Lopez, it represents a challenge to his title, while for Catterall, it could be an opportunity to claim a world title if Lopez declines. The WBA’s decision underscores the importance of following mandatory challenger rules in boxing, which are designed to ensure the title is defended in a timely manner. Both fighters now have a deadline to either agree to the bout or proceed with the purse bid process to determine the financial terms of the fight.