Report: Teófimo López, Josh Taylor Agree to June 10 Welterweight Title Fight in NYC

Josh Taylor will reportedly put his WBO junior welterweight title on the line against Teófimo López on June 10 in New York, per ESPN's Mark Kriegel and Mike Coppinger.

"We're set on the fight. Teo is set on Josh Taylor like he was set on [Vasiliy] Lomachenko," López's manager David McWater told ESPN. "We don't know yet, but I suspect it's the big room. We almost sold out the big room in December for Sandor Martin."

Madison Square Garden and the Hulu Theater at MSG are both being considered as potential venues.

Taylor (19-0), who last beat Jack Catterall in Feb. 2022, was scheduled for a rematch before tearing a plantar fascia in January. Without rescheduling language in the rematch contract, Taylor was able to seek the fight with López.

"Further on down the line, Jack and me can still fight," Taylor told Sky Sports last week. "I don't know what's going to happen now. I definitely will [but] it's out of my control, it's not my fault the WBO got in touch."

"At the end of the day it's out of my control," he added. "This fight is a much bigger fight than the Catterall fight. It's a much bigger fight and it's a harder fight. He is a much higher calibre of opponent, he has been at a higher level, he's been in with better fighters. He's done the business and got the T-shirt. I think it's a better fight."

López (18-1) is a former unified lightweight champion, and his matchup with Taylor undoubtedly will engender plenty of hype.

"I think the Taylor side has become less enthusiastic about the rematch with Catterall," McWater told ESPN. "For us, we were concerned about fighting over there (in the U.K.). If we fight over there, you'll watch it at three or four in the afternoon. It was really important to Teófimo not to do that. We want the eyeballs. Top Rank really listened to me this time. I think it's a better fight over here."