Teofimo Lopez vs Ryan Garcia: special-permit route remains open

Teofimo Lopez could seek permission to face Ryan Garcia before Jack Catterall, according to reporting attributed to The Ring’s Mike Coppinger.

The reported notification concerns his right to apply for a special permit, not approval for the fight.

Coppinger reported on X that the WBA had told all parties Lopez can apply for a special permit, as Boxing News 24 has also reported. If approved, a special permit could allow Lopez to face WBC champion Garcia before fulfilling his mandatory obligation to Catterall.

This is not a new WBA ruling, and no fight has been signed. Catterall’s mandatory order remains in place. But it still matters a great deal to the man from Chorley.

What the WBA said on 11 November

On Wednesday, the WBA reaffirmed that Lopez must face Catterall and rejected his request for reconsideration. It gave both camps ten days to agree a date or propose another solution. If no deal is reached, either side can ask for a purse bid.

The same statement already described the permit route. The WBA said a unification with another body’s champion could be considered through a “special permit” under its Rule C.39, but that Lopez’s team had not submitted a formal request when the decision was made.

Lopez’s team disputes that, saying it asked for a Garcia fight on 5 November. The latest reports suggest the WBA has confirmed Lopez can make that application. Whether it would be approved is another matter.

We covered the original decision in our report on how Jack Catterall won his WBA ruling.

Why Teofimo Lopez vs Ryan Garcia keeps coming back

The simple answer is money. Lopez beat Rolando Romero by majority decision in August to become WBA super champion, and Garcia holds the WBC belt. A unification between two big American names would be a far bigger event than Lopez against Catterall.

Talks have been going on for weeks. Back in October, 6 February was being targeted, as we reported when Ryan Garcia vs Teofimo Lopez was first lined up. According to BoxingScene, Lopez and his manager Keith Connolly have also talked about facing Garcia on Cinco de Mayo weekend in May.

None of that is signed. A permit would still have to be applied for and approved, and the ten-day window from 11 November is still running.

What it means for Jack Catterall

Catterall has already watched one route to the full title get diverted. He beat Shakhram Giyasov in May to win the WBA regular title. The WBA then gave Romero permission for a voluntary defence against Lopez, and Lopez inherited the obligation to face Catterall when he won the belt.

Catterall has done everything that was asked of him. If Lopez applies for a permit and it is approved, he could be left waiting again. But no permit has been granted, and nothing has been reported about what Catterall’s side might receive in that scenario.

Jack Shaw’s verdict

It is hard not to feel for Catterall. The rules allow unification fights, and fans do want the best to fight the best. But a mandatory should mean something, and Catterall has earned this shot.

Expect his team to push back hard if Lopez applies. The next few days, and that ten-day deadline, will tell us a lot. Keep up with every development on our boxing hub.