Boxing
Teofimo Lopezs Legal Team Seeks to Bypass Ordered Fight: Latest Boxing News
Published
2 months agoon
Teofimo Lopez‘s manager Keith Connolly has revealed that he is legally pursuing an opportunity for the newly-crowned WBA champion to circumvent his mandatory duty.
‘The Takeover’ claimed his belt with a majority decision victory over Rolando Romerodethroning his countryman to become a three-division world champion last weekend.
For the most part, Lopez was in full control, other than when he was badly hurt by an overhand right in round five of their Las Vegas encounter.
Rather impressively, though, the American made a swift recovery and remained the busier fighter, returning to the win column after suffering a wide points defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January.
Now campaigning at 147lbs, Lopez has since expressed his interest in unification matches with Devin Haney, Liam Paro or the winner of Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn, which takes place at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on September 12.
At the same time, however, WBA ‘regular’ champion Jack Catterall is demanding his shot at the full title, having been promised by sanctioning body president Gilberto Mendoza that he would secure this opportunity within 180 days of his last outing.
Manager Connolly has therefore told Ring Magazine that he is attempting to leverage Lopez’ ‘super’ status and swerve a mandatory title defence against Catterall.
“I have my legal team, and Teo’s legal team, working on that right now. I don’t wanna say too much publicly, but some people on the other side were saying that we agreed to [the 180-day ruling].
“We didn’t agree to that – we were never given a contract to sign, saying that we would fight Jack Catterall next.
“We’ll talk to the WBA. We are the super champion, which comes with more privileges than being a regular champion. So, if we go out [and secure] a mega fight or unification, I think we have the right to do that. But let’s see how things play out.”
With Catterall unanimously outpointing Shakhram Giyasov for his regular title in May, the proposed deadline of November 19 – which seems unrealistic, even if Lopez is commanded to face his mandatory challenger – is now just weeks away.
You may like
Boxing
UK Manny Pacquiao: Belt Collectors Inspiring Journey from 110 to 154 Pounds
Published
1 hour agoon
October 28, 2026
British boxer Prince Patel has spent more than a decade picking up championship belts around the world, rising from a 110-pound professional debut to the super welterweight division at 154 pounds after building an unconventional career across several continents.
The 33-year-old, who left the British boxing scene following a controversial split with promoter Frank Warren in 2016, has collected titles across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Patel’s journey has drawn comparisons to Manny Pacquiao, who made his professional debut at 106 pounds before reaching 154 and becoming boxing’s only eight-division world champion.
There is a significant difference between the two fighters, though. Pacquiao won recognized world titles across eight divisions, while Patel has accumulated Commonwealth, international, and regional championships.
Prince Patel’s Belt Collection
Patel’s overseas career has included the Commonwealth super flyweight title, WBO Global and WBO Africa honors, and the IBO bantamweight championship.
In March 2021, he defeated Julias Thomas Kisarawe in Ghana to claim the Commonwealth crown alongside several other belts.
In December 2023, Patel returned to Ghana and knocked out Aliu Bamidele Lasisi in six rounds to secure the IBO bantamweight title.
He subsequently proclaimed himself India’s first-ever professional boxing world champion, a claim reflecting his Indian heritage and personal ambition.
The IBO, however, is not recognized alongside the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO as one of boxing’s four major world championship sanctioning bodies.
Patel has nevertheless continued adding to his trophy cabinet, including welterweight honors during his African campaigns.

From 110 to 154 Pounds
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of Patel’s career has been his progression through the weight classes.
After winning the IBO bantamweight championship in December 2023, he was competing at 141 pounds by June 2024.
Just two months later, Patel weighed 146 pounds for a fight in Zanzibar.
His last recorded contest came in Bangkok on January 31, 2026, when he stopped Yahaya Mussa after five rounds at 140 pounds to claim the WBA Asia Gold super lightweight title.
That victory took his professional record to 34 wins, one defeat, and two draws, with 29 knockouts.
Patel has now made his super welterweight debut in Tanzania, revealing that he secured a fifth-round victory despite difficult weather and ring conditions.
The latest appearance takes him into the 154-pound division, completing a remarkable progression from his professional debut at around 110 pounds.
The result is now on BoxRec and Patel confirmed the victory on his verified Instagram account.
Prince Patel’s Reinvention
The once-controversial Patel has reinvented himself over the years. From the ‘Girthquake,’ a nod to his famous YouTube interview that got him into trouble with Frank Warren, to proclaiming himself India’s first-ever world champion after winning the IBO bantamweight belt, Patel has never gone quietly into the night.
He’s still fighting on, still looking for recognition and aiming to prove anyone who doubted him wrong.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.
Boxing
Tim Bradley: Why Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis Will Dodge This Champion
Published
4 hours agoon
October 28, 2026
Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis are each searching for opponents ahead of their respective ring returns, but there is one active world champion whom Tim Bradley believes both men will be keen to avoid.
‘Tank’ Davis is winless since June 2024, with his most recent outing being a March 2025 draw against Lamont Roach Jr.
The Baltimore-based brute looks poised to return to action in early 2027, with fans eagerly awaiting news on whether the WBA champion-in-recess will seek to reclaim his WBA lightweight world title or venture up to super-lightweight.
Meanwhile, Stevenson has recently left Zuffa Boxingfrustrated at the fact that Dana White’s promotion have not found him an opponent in the near four-month spell since announcing him as their marquee signing.
Stevenson has been linked to names such as Devin Haney and Gary Antuanne Russell in recent months, but the four-division world champion chose not to pursuit a showdown with O’Shaquie Fosterdespite stating that he would face Foster if he overcame Ray Ford – which he did back in May.
With Stevenson no longer an option, Foster moved on to a three-belt unification with Emanuel Navarrete and scored a dominant win over the Mexican to add the WBO and IBF super-featherweight titles to his WBC crown on Saturday.
On his YouTube channeltwo-division world champion Bradley praised Foster’s performance and stated his belief that Stevenson and Davis will steer clear of a potential scrap with the 33-year-old.
“There’s not a lot of guys out there that has the skill set that O’Shaquie Foster has. I told you he’s something like a Crawford. Yeah, he’s a chameleon. He can adapt to anything inside the ring.
“Now you see why Shakur Stevenson didn’t want no action. Now you see why. That’s why. Yeah, Tank Davis, you ain’t going to want none either.”
Foster’s display has thrust him into the Fighter of the Year conversation, with the Texan now just one more win away from becoming the first undisputed 130lb champion since 1969.
Boxing
Raven Chapman: Inspiring Journey of a Boxer Overcoming Brain Bleed and Embracing Recovery
Published
5 hours agoon
October 28, 2026
Boxer Raven Chapman believes the fast actions of trainer Stuart Scott may have saved her life when she suffered a bleed on the brain over the summer.
The 32-year-old was airlifted to hospital and placed in a medically induced coma following a sparring session in Denmark on 24 July.
Chapman had collapsed after training and was taken to hospital after Scott called for an ambulance, to be later diagnosed with a brain haematoma and cerebral oedema.
“I remember the final spar where it happened, It was the third spar of the week and I felt fine going in there,” she told BBC South Today.
“It was just a sort of freak injury that I never thought it would happen to me, we (herself and Scott) have done hundreds of sparring rounds together and my fights.
“He knows the kind of things that I say and I wasn’t acting myself from what he said, that’s when he called an ambulance before anything even happened.
“I sat down and then it all sort of happened after that, luckily with where I was at the time, I think in under an hour from when the ambulance was called I was then into surgery.”
After reaching hospital, the procedure Chapman underwent successfully stemmed the bleeding in her brain and helped to stabilise the swelling.
A fundraiser was then launched online for people to contribute towards getting her back to the UK and her long-term recovery.
A total of £97,792 was donated after the page was shared widely among the boxing community on social media.
Chapman’s promoters Queensberry, Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn and Most Valuable Promotions’ Nakisa Bidarian were among the leading donors.
“All the support that I got was just amazing,” Chapman added.
“That’s why, with all the fundraising money, I’m going to use that to make sure I’m getting everything so that I get better as that’s why people donated.
“It brings a tear to your eye when you see it and how much people are there for you in the community, it’s a special world, the boxing world.”
UK Manny Pacquiao: Belt Collectors Inspiring Journey from 110 to 154 Pounds
Tim Bradley: Why Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis Will Dodge This Champion
Raven Chapman: Inspiring Journey of a Boxer Overcoming Brain Bleed and Embracing Recovery
Trending
-
Boxing2 days agoLindolfo Delgado Withdraws from Arthur Biyarslanov Fight: Implications for Upcoming Matches
-
MMA2 days agoOn To the Next One: Matches to make after UFC 333
-
Boxing1 day agoTeddy Atlas Final Verdict on Canelo vs Christian Mbilli: He Must Hurt Him Early
-
MMA2 days agoUFC fighter explains nose-picking moment before Dana White handshake
-
Boxing1 day agoShakur Stevenson Faces 20-Day Deadline to Fight Former World Champion or Risk Losing Title
-
MMA2 days agoOn To the Next One: Matches to make after UFC 333
-
Boxing2 days agoBrian Norman Jr. Faces Potential Setback in Upcoming Match Against Abel Ramos
-
MMA1 day agoAaron Pico admits he was fighting too out of control before UFC 333


