WBO President Gustavo Oliveiri has confirmed that the fight between #1 Arnold Barboza Jr. and #2 Jack Catterall will be for the WBO Interim Welterweight Title when they meet on February 15th at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.
Olivieri says the move was made due to “uncertainty about the career of Teofimo Lopez.” Teo was all over the place, talking about wanting to move up to 147 to challenge IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis for his belt, calling out Terence Crawford and turning down fights left and right.
WBO interim title fight
Teofimo wants to buy out his contract with promoters Top Rank, which further creates uncertainty about his career. Some believe his actions are sabotaging him and will destroy what remains.
The winner of the fight Catterall vs. Barboza Jr. he will face Teofim if he decides to take the match. That’s a big if.
Barboza Jr. (31-0, 11 KOs) has a good chance of defeating Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) if he fights the way he did in his recent 10-round unanimous decision victory over former unified welterweight champion Jose Ramirez on November 16.
Arnold looked impressive in that fight, using a powerful jab, nice one-two combos and, at times, the ability to shoot with the former champion.
1/ In light of the uncertainty surrounding Teofimo Lopez’s career, it is in the best interest of boxing and the 140lbs division, it is recommended #WBO Championship Cmte. for Barboza/Catterall to be sanctioned for the interim title and bound under certain conditions and time frame
— Gustavo Olivieri, esq. (@OlivieriLaw) January 10, 2025
Matchroom-promoted Catterall 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 lb champion Regis Prograis by decision in 12 rounds.
Some fans view Catterall as a poor man’s Shakur Stevenson, as he has the same hit-and-don’t-get-hit style of approach. Catterall pulls back after landing punches and holds plenty to nullify his opponents attack. He’s not fun to watch, but his style suits him. He 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. In terms of talent, Barboza Jr. is at higher levels and should win easily. The fight on Catterall’s home turf makes it a challenge to predict.
