WBO President Gustavo Oliveiri has confirmed that the fight between No. 1 Arnold Barboza Jr. and No. 2 Jack Catterall will be for the WBO interim light welterweight title when they meet on February 15 at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.
Olivieri says this decision is made because of the “uncertainty regarding Teofimo Lopez’s career. Teo has been everywhere, talking about wanting to move up to 147 to challenge IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis for his belt, calling out Terence Crawford and rejecting fights left and right.
WBO interim title fight
Teofimo wants to buy out his contract with promoters Top Rank, causing even more uncertainty about his career. Some believe his actions are sabotaging him and will ruin what’s left.
The winner of the Catterall vs. Barboza Jr. fight will face Teofimo if he chooses to win the match. That’s a big if.
Barboza Jr. (31-0, 11 KO) has a good chance of defeating Catterall (30-1, 13 KO) if he fights like he did in his recent 10-round unanimous decision victory over the Former unified light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez. on November 16.
Arnold looked impressive in this fight, using a powerful jab, nice one-two combinations and, at times, the ability to hit the former champion.
1/ Given the uncertainty surrounding Teofimo Lopez’s career, it is in the best interest of boxing and the 140 lbs division to recommend #WBO Championship Cmte. that Barboza/Catterall be sanctioned for the interim and mandatory title subject to specific conditions and deadlines
—Gustavo Olivieri, Esq. (@OlivieriLaw) January 10, 2025
Catterall, promoted by Matchroom, has turned his career around, winning four straight since losing to Jack Catterall in 2022. In May 2024, he avenged his loss to Taylor, winning a close 12-round unanimous decision. Last October, he defeated former two-time 140-pound champion Régis Prograis by 12-round decision.
Some fans view Catterall as a poor man’s Shakur Stevenson, as he has the same “hit and don’t be hit” style of approach. Catterall backs up after throwing punches and does a lot of holding back to nullify his opponents’ offense. He’s not fun to watch, but his style suits him. It may not be against Barboza Jr, but he has the home-country advantage.
So there’s a chance he’ll win if it’s close. Talent-wise, Barboza Jr. is above and should win easily. The struggles on Catterall’s field make predictions difficult.
