Plans will soon be made by the WBO to fill one vacancy and perhaps remove another title from one of its other champions.  

The sanctioning body confirmed to BoxingScene.com and other reporters plans to discuss its future title picture in both the junior welterweight and junior middleweight divisions. The declaration comes just two days after the WBO held a ceremony in Puerto Rico to officially present Teofimo Lopez with the 140-pound title he earned in a June 10 unanimous decision victory over Scotland’s Josh Taylor (19-1, 13KOs) in New York City.

Lopez—who became a two-division lineal champion with the win—informed the sanctioning body just five days later that he was giving up the belt and planned to retire.

“Next week, [the] WBO Championship Committee will be dealing with 140lbs. after Teofimo Lopez’s resignation,” WBO president Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel announced Monday evening.

Also to be discussed is the current status of the WBO junior middleweight title.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (59-2-2, 39KOs) dropped a bombshell announcement on Friday that he would next defend his undisputed super middleweight championship versus Jermell Charlo (35-1-1, 19KOs). It was widely expected that Guadalajara’s Alvarez would next face inactive WBC middleweight titlist Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22KOs), who would have moved up in weight.

Instead, the big reveal from last Friday was the news that it would be Jermell Charlo, the undisputed junior middleweight king who will make the two-division jump. The development caught many off guard, including the WBO who already ordered the next fight for the 154-pound champ.

“[We are] also [dealing] with 154lbs. [champ] Jermell Charlo,” revealed Valcarcel.

Charlo is overdue to defend at least his WBO title versus mandatory challenger Tim Tszyu (23-0, 17KOs). They were scheduled to meet January 28 in Las Vegas but Charlo fractured his left hand during training camp last December and was forced to postpone.

Tszyu was permitted to fight for the interim WBO 154-pound title, which he won In March with a ninth-round stoppage of Tony Harrison, the former WBC titlist and only fighter to defeat Charlo. Sydney’s Tszyu since defended the belt with a first-round knockout of Carlos Ocampo on June 17 in Broadbeach, Australia. The fight came with the understanding that Charlo-Tszyu would take place on or before September 30, per a WBO ruling.

Charlo’s dare to be great in his bid to challenge Alvarez could now cost him at least one title at 154 by the time he enters the ring. The likely scenario will see Tszyu upgraded to full WBO titlist.

The path to fill the WBO 140-pound belt will require an ordered vacant title fight.

Brooklyn’s Lopez has yet to walk back his claim that he is done with the sport, not even as he enjoyed himself to the fullest during Sunday’s WBO ceremony. The sanctioning body will now have to act accordingly to crown a new king. The top two contenders are unbeaten Arnold Barboza Jr. (28-0, 10KOs) and former unified WBC/WBO 140-pound titlist Jose Ramirez Jr. (28-1, 18KOs). Both are managed by Rick Mirigian and promoted by Top Rank.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox