After the excitement of the ‘Dust Up in the Desert’ and Oleksandr Usyk’s coronation as undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, it’s back to more domestic matters this weekend.
The much awaited rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall at ten stone (140lbs) is a classic England v Scotland clash, but with world consequences for the junior-welterweight division. Scotland’s ‘Tartan Tornado’ Taylor, 33, finally gets his chance to shut up all the doubters, who now believe his time at world level is over and he must return to domestic matters, permanently.
For Chorley, England’s Catterall, this is his opportunity to seal the victory he claims he was wrongly denied in the controversial draw of 2022 against the same foe. This looked to us to be one of the worst decisions in recent years. Caterall’s career has essentially been on hold as a consequence, whilst Taylor subsequently lost all his world titles to American-Honduran Teofimo Lopez and has not looked the same since.
As crossroads fights go, on Saturday in the Leeds Arena, the stakes are high. The fight will be available live on DAZN in the UK and on ESPN+ in the USA.
Prior to their first meeting, Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs), was an undefeated fighter and rated by The Ring magazine in their pound-for-pound top ten across every weight. The mythical but elite ranking of boxers.
His fall since then has been dramatic, but is not totally irreversible. To get anywhere close to his previous status he must beat Catterall, and emphatically.
For the Chorley man, 30, this is an opportunity to continue with his upward trajectory and fight for one of the now splintered ‘world’ titles available. Billed as ‘Hate Runs Deep’ this is a genuine grudge match with both fighters insistent they were the victor in the first meeting.
Taylor doesn’t believe that Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) is on his level and the latter believes the Scot is a spent force. Come Saturday we will know one way or the other.
The Scot has all the pedigree being an elite amateur and navigating his way through an unprecedented series of victories to reach undisputed status. Both are excellent boxers with respectable, but not destructive knockout power. They are box-punchers and slick southpaws who know their way around a ring.
This is a fight that based on the boxers’ similar skillsets, close age and, what’s at stake, is difficult to call. We conclude that despite one fighter appearing on the upward curve (Catterall) and one reputedly going in the opposite direction that this should be easy. However, the toughness of Taylor, him operating at a more elite level and, his motivation to prove the doubters wrong, might swing the fight in his favour.
We expect another hard-fought twelve rounds but the Scot’s hand to be raised at the end of a quality match. Caterall can come again, but for Taylor this is his ‘last chance saloon’. He should seize the moment.
Editor’s note: Our regular Monday LunchBox did not appear this week as we let the national media and bloggers consume you with the dust finally settling in Riyadh. Simply revisit last week’s Friday Faceup to confirm how the fight would go and the victor.
You will see in the biggest fight this millennium we were ‘bang on’.
The Undisputed 