Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall met face-to-face once again in Edinburgh on Monday (February 19) to announce their April 27 super-lightweight rematch, which will be shown live on ESPN+ in America. Today (February 20), the fighters are due to be in Manchester for the second and final press conference ahead of their respective training camps.
Boxing News caught up with Taylor as he traveled to England. The Top Rank fighter spoke about the first presser, returning to 140lbs, and why he has chosen not to have children.
Interview by Shaun Brown
BN: Did you enjoy yesterday?
JT: Yeah, it was great. I was nice and relaxed; took it as it comes. Let them do the talking. I don’t think Jack’s got two brain cells to rub together. Sam [Jones] (Catterall’s manager) was constantly telling him what to say. It’s quite easy just to wind him up. It’s quite easy for me to chill out and relax because the two of them are quite dumb.
BN: Did you expect there to be a physical confrontation at the end?
JT: That’s the second time he’s done that. The first time he tried it at the weigh-in (for the first fight) and he tried it there yesterday and he shipped a little left hook. Eddie’s tit caught half of it (laughs). If his arm hadn’t got in the way, then it would have landed on his chin, and something might have happened. The fight might have been off, maybe it would’ve hurt him, maybe I would’ve hurt my hand. That just goes to show the brains that the guy’s got. He’s just not very clever, he’s not the fizziest juice in the fridge.
BN: Is the fight definitely at 140lbs?
JT: Yes, it’s at 140. I was the one that requested 140 due to the fact everybody’s saying it should be at 140. I’m like, “Right, okay, it’s at 140.” I gave him that. I gave him the neutral ground as well in Leeds. So, there we go. He’s got nothing to moan about when I beat him again.
BN: Are you quite happy to go back to that weight?
JT: I’m absolutely fine with it. The best time that I ever made the weight was in New York, and I made the weight a piece of cake. But it was my legs that faded; there were reasons why my legs faded, but I’m not using that as an excuse. But I know I can do this weight. I know he struggles at the weight.
BN: Do you see this as a crossroads fight?
JT: I need to put on a good performance here to put myself back in the championship picture. I need to win the fight, and so does he. If he loses again, where’s he gonna go? He ain’t got nowhere to go once I beat him again.
BN: After everything you’ve achieved in the sport, have you thought about life after boxing?
JT: I’ve been sort of thinking about it for a little while but it’s not at the forefront of my mind. I’m starting to think about having kids. When I have kids, I want to enjoy it and see them growing up.
BN: How do you see Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia going?
JT: I just think Devin Haney’s got the better boxing skills and the better boxing brain. Garcia’s good, he’s got the speed, but I don’t think he’s quite got the boxing IQ. I thought he quit a little bit against Gervonta Davis.
BN: With what happened in your first fight against Catterall, and what happened afterwards, are you looking to make a bit of a statement on April 27?
JT: If I perform the way I’ve been performing in the gym and turn up on the night, he’ll be getting taken out on a stretcher.