Jack Catterall PREDICTS Teofimo Lopez Would Rather Vacate Than Fight Him, Hints at MMA Crossover

What happened in this episode?

Ariel Helwani interviews British boxer Jack Catterall about his push for a welterweight title unification with Teofimo Lopez after the WBA ordered the bout. Catterall says the WBA decision triggers a 30-day negotiation window and argues Lopez’s camp has been signalling disinterest while pursuing higher-profile options, particularly a fight with Ryan Garcia. Catterall says he took his May fight—against an undefeated opponent he describes as avoided by others—on the understanding it would position him as mandatory challenger, and he wants clarity quickly rather than protracted talks.

Catterall tells Helwani he is “50/50” on whether Lopez will accept, then later states his gut feeling is that Lopez will vacate instead of fighting him, framing the choice as “fight or vacate”. He discusses potential timings and venues, floating a December date and the possibility of appearing on a major UK card, while also saying he would travel to the United States if required.

Elsewhere, he reflects on the Garcia–Benn bout and suggests Benn jumped levels too quickly. He also discusses his early career and background in wrestling and judo, and says he has an interest in trying MMA after boxing, though he stresses he is currently focused on boxing.

What are the key points?

• Catterall says the WBA has ordered a Lopez fight and he understands there is a 30-day negotiation period.
• He says he took a May bout on the promise it would lead to a mandatory shot at the WBA ‘super’ title.
• Catterall says Lopez’s camp appears more focused on commercially bigger fights, while the WBA has enforced the mandatory.
• He tells Lopez to ‘fight or vacate’ and predicts Lopez will vacate rather than face him.
• Catterall suggests a December date is possible and says the fight could take place in the UK or the US.
• He says he is interested in trying MMA after boxing, citing training alongside mixed martial artists at his gym.

Who is speaking?

Named speakers identified in Egleze's source-linked moments from this episode.

• Jack Catterall

Which topics are covered?

How is this page sourced?

Programme

The Ariel Helwani Show

Published

23 September 2026

Duration

18m

Original episode

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Egleze verifies the speaker, source and timestamp for each linked moment. Unless a moment is explicitly marked independently verified, statements remain attributed claims by the named speaker rather than established facts.