Teofimo Willing To Take Legal Action To Get Garcia Unification Fight

WBA welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez (23-2, 13 KOs) is prepared to take legal action against the sanctioning body to secure a unification fight with WBC titleholder Ryan Garcia (26-2, 21 KOs, 1 NC), reports this week said.

Lopez’s manager, Keith Connolly, has filed a petition with the WBA seeking permission to prioritize a unification fight with Garcia over his mandatory defense against Catterall. Lopez could pursue the matter in court.

The WBA has given Lopez and Catterall until October 22 to reach an agreement on their mandatory title fight. If no agreement is reached, the sanctioning body is expected to order a purse bid. Catterall has made it clear that he will not accept a step-aside agreement to allow Lopez to face Garcia.

Lopez captured the WBA welterweight championship with a majority decision victory over Rolando Romero on August 22, while Garcia retained his WBC title by stopping Conor Benn in the second round of their bout on September 12.

The two champions have been linked with a potential showdown in early 2027, although no agreement has been announced.

Should Lopez refuse to fulfill his mandatory obligations, he risks being stripped of his championship, potentially preventing the Garcia matchup from taking place as a title unification.