By Isaac Nyamungu

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) championship committee has ordered relevant parties to begin negotiations for a fight to determine the mandatory contender at 140 pounds, champion Teofimo Lopez. The fight is scheduled for February next year. Both teams, i.e. Golden Boy for Barboza and Matchroom for Catterall, have about 20 days to reach a deal, lest the WBO take it to float bids.

Jack Catterall has his cards open after being mandated by the WBO to face Arnold Barboza in a final world title eliminator.

Whoever wins will go against champion Teofimo Lope. However, Jack Catterall, 30-1 (13 KOs), is no longer in contention for a shot at the IBF belt. Titlist Liam Paro, 25-0 (15 KO), makes the first defense of his title on December 7 against Richardson Hitchins, 18-0 (7 KO), in Puerto Rico.

Catterall’s fight with Prograis was the first boxing event to take place at Manchester’s new Co-Op Live Arena. Coming off the Prograis fight, Catterall, 30-1 (13 KOs), and his team were united in their belief that he deserved a world title shot next and IBF champion Liam Paro, 25-0 (15 KO), was almost instantly designated as the most likely target.

“I think we need to sit tight. The (Paro) fight is only a week away with Hitchins. We would be stupid to make a rushed decision in a day or two when this is obviously another option. The ultimate goal is to fight and win a world title,” Catterall said in a video clip shared on his social media account.

“I’m in a very privileged position,” he added. .

“I definitely worked for it. We have faced many obstacles over the years. Fights did not take place, fights failed, etc., and could last all day. But I had a good run last year and I’m now in a position where hopefully we can challenge for the world title next year,” he continued.

Elsewhere, Barboza is ranked number one by the WBO while Catterall is ranked number two. They had bitter exchanges on social networks.

Barboza emerged victorious from a tepid 10-round match with Jose Ramirez in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, over a week ago, and the Californian is 31-0 (11 KOs), while the southpaw Catterall, from Chorley in the United Kingdom, is coming off a lukewarm match. a career-rich 2024, which involves victories over Josh Taylor in May as well as Regis Prograis in October.

“I know you want top 10 too. We can do it. Tell Eddie to call Oscar,” Barboza wrote on his X account responding to Catterall.