JACK CATTERALL expressed a sense of relief following his victory over Josh Taylor last night as he now sets his sights on vying for a world title in the future.
The 30-year-old secured a unanimous decision win over the former undisputed super-lightweight champion in Leeds, over two years after he suffered a controversial split decision loss to Taylor in Scotland.
Although no titles were at stake in the rematch, the fight marked a pivotal moment in Catterall’s career.
“I feel a huge sense of relief tonight,” he shared with Boxing News.
“It’s been a long time coming, with a lot of back and forth. There has been much discussion about Josh Taylor over the past couple of years. It feels great to finally defeat him and put all those questions to rest.”
The judges, Mark Bates, Lee Every, and Kieran McCann, scored the fight 117-111, 116-113, and 117-111 all in favor of Catterall, who now holds a record of 29-1 (13 KOs), following an intense 12-round battle. Catterall emerged as a deserving victor in the eyes of many, with Taylor making a commendable comeback in the latter stages of the fight. However, it was not enough for the 33-year-old.
“I felt like I controlled a majority of the rounds,” Catterall remarked.
“I believe I won the fight decisively, although there were moments where I may have eased off and allowed him opportunities. Nonetheless, I felt comfortable in my victory tonight.
“There’s always that lingering feeling after the first fight where I thought I clearly won but didn’t get the decision. However, this time, I received the right decision.
“I defeated him. There has been talk about the scorecards. I will review the fight and judge for myself, but I am confident in my win.”
Catterall’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is now keen on guiding his fighter towards a second world title shot. Currently ranked sixth with the WBO, third with the IBF, fifth with the WBC, and fourth with the WBA, ‘El Gato’ is poised for another opportunity on the world stage. Champions Teofimo Lopez, Subriel Matias, Devin Haney, and Isaac Cruz are all set for title defenses in the near future, ensuring Catterall will have another significant fight on the horizon.
“I am aiming for one of the world titles; I am determined to become a world champion, and I believe I can achieve that,” Catterall affirmed.
“Lopez, Haney, Matias, there are plenty of exciting matchups to be made.”