Arnold Barboza Jr. and Jack Catterall Will Fight for the WBO Interim Championship
WBO president Gustavo Oliveiri has confirmed that the fight between #1 Arnold Barboza Jr and #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 the move was made because “uncertainty about the work of Teofimo Lopez. “ Teo is all over the place, talking about wanting to move up to 147 to challenge IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, calling out Terence Crawford, turning down fights left and right.
WBO Interim Title Fight
Teofimo wants to buy out his contract with Top Rank promoters, which further creates uncertainty about his career. Others believe that his actions are destroying it and will waste what is left.
The winner of the Catterall vs. Barboza Jr. he will face Teofimo if he chooses to take the match. That’s a big if.
Barboza Jr. (31-0, 11 KOs) has a good chance of beating Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) if he fights the way he did in his recent 10-round unanimous decision win over former United light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez. on November 16.
Arnold looked impressive in that fight, using a powerful jab, good one-two combinations, and, at times, the ability to outplay the former champion.
1/ Due to the uncertainty regarding Teofimo Lopez’s career, it is in the best interest of boxing and the 140 lbs category, we recommend that #WBO Championship Cmte. for Barboza/Catterall to be approved for a Temporary & mandatory title subject to specific circumstances and time frame
– Gustavo Olivieri, Esq. (@OlivieriLaw) January 10, 2025
Matchroom-promoted Catterall 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 12-round unanimous decision. Last October, he defeated two-time former 140-lb champion Regis Prograis by a 12-round decision.
Some fans consider Catterall to be a poor man’s Shakur Stevenson, as he has a similar hitting and no-hitting style. Catterall backs away after throwing punches and holds on long enough to make his opponents miss. He’s not fun to look at, but his style works for him. It may not be against Barboza Jr, but he has a chance to play in the national team.
Therefore, there is a good chance that he will win if it is close. In terms of talent, Barboza Jr. is top tier and should win easily. Fighting in the Catterall area makes it challenging to predict.
