WBO President Gustavo Olivieri has confirmed that the bout between No. 1 Arnold Barboza Jr. and No. 2 Jack Catterall will be for the interim WBO light welterweight title when they meet on February 15 at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.
Olivieri says this move is being made because:Uncertainty regarding Teofimo Lopez's career. Teo has been all over the place, talking about his desire to move up to No. 147 to challenge IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis for his belt, calling up Terence Crawford, and turning down fights left and right.
WBO interim title fight
Teofimo wants to buy out his contract with Top Rank's promoters, causing more uncertainty regarding his career. Some believe his actions are ruining it and will destroy what remains.
The winner of the Catterall vs. Barboza Junior fight will face Teofimo if he chooses to take the fight. This is 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 win over former unified light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez on Nov. 16.
Arnold looked impressive in that fight, using a powerful jab, nice two-person combinations, and, at times, the ability to overpower the former champion.
1/ With the uncertainty surrounding Teofimo Lopez's career, it is in the best interest of boxing and the 140 pound division, to recommend #WBO Championship KMT. That Barboza/Catterall be sanctioned for the interim title is mandatory under specific conditions 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 close 12-round unanimous decision. Last October, he defeated former two-time 140-pound champion, Regis Prograis, by 12-round decision.
Some fans view Catterall as a poor man's Shakur Stevenson, as he has the same approach to hitting and not getting hit. Catterall steps back after throwing punches and does a lot of stabilization to nullify his opponents' attacks. It's not fun to watch, but his style suits him. It may not be against Barboza Jr., but he has home-field advantage.
So, there is a chance of winning if it is close. Talent-wise, Barboza Jr. Higher levels and you should win easily. Fighting on Catterall's land makes it difficult to predict.
