JACK Catterall rolled the dice last Saturday, looking to edge closer towards a second world title shot.
But instead, it was Arnold Barboza Jr who produced a marginally more assertive performance to claim the WBO interim super-lightweight title, with a shot at Teofimo Lopez remaining at the forefront of his mind.
Here, Boxing News considers five things we learned from Matchroom Boxing’s action-packed card at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.
Jazza Dickens has plenty left in the tank
Based on his destructive display against Jordan Gill last April, Zelfa Barrett was widely considered to be a sizable favourite against Jazza Dickens.
Dickens, after all, had done little to suggest that he remains a high-quality operator, halting just two obscure super-featherweight campaigners last year.
And yet, the Liverpudlian’s southpaw stance ultimately proved too puzzling for Barrett, 31-3 (17 KOs), who found himself getting outworked by the seasoned veteran through large spells of their ten-round contest.
In the end, it was Dickens, 35-5 (14 KOs), who claimed a much deserved unanimous decision victory, rolling back the years to prove that he still has plenty to offer at 130lbs.
Pat McCormack should target the British title
While Robbie Davies Jr, at this stage in his career, was no match for the explosive and technically advanced Pat McCormack, it is nonetheless important to take nothing away from the Olympic silver medallist’s victory.
In what was his first acid test as a professional, McCormack, 7-0 (5 KOs), floored his battle-hardened opponent three times en route to a compassionate sixth-round corner stoppage from Anthony Crolla.
And with Davies, 24-6 (15 KOs), calling it quits on his honourable career soon after, perhaps this will be remembered as the fight that launched McCormack closer towards stardom.
There is little doubt, of course, that the 29-year-old will shine in the pro ranks, with a potential British title fight against Conah Walker representing a stern but calculated test.
Reece Bellotti was too relentless for Michael Gomez Jr
Despite all of the talk from Michael Gomez Jr, his performance in a rescheduled British and Commonwealth title fight against Reece Bellotti was far from inspiring.
In fact, the 30-year-old put on a largely passive display, allowing Bellotti, 20-5 (15 KOs), to not only dance rings around him but also land several sickening body shots to score two knockdowns.
As a result, the 34-year-old’s dazzling feet and relentless engine contributed to a dominant tenth-round stoppage victory, extending his fine run of form.
And regardless of where Bellotti’s career goes from here, he has now firmly established himself as one of Britain’s most accomplished operators at 130lbs.
Jack Catterall is left waiting even longer to be king
It is somewhat ironic that Jack Catterall walked out to ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King’ – a bold choice of music at the best of times – only to extend his route towards world honours.
Then again, by taking on the best available contenders at 140lbs in recent years, the 31-year-old should be commended for his impetus to take risks.
This time, however, he was forced to suffer a defeat by the finest of margins, with Arnold Barboza Jr edging a razor-thin split decision that could have gone either way.
In any case, Catterall, 30-2 (13 KOs), may always be known for the disastrous decision that ensued in 2022, back when he should have been crowned the super-lightweight king.
Arnold Barboza Jr deserves his shot at Teofimo Lopez
It could be said that Barboza, 32-0 (11 KOs), produced a career-best performance to outpoint Catterall on away soil.
When it went to the scorecards, there was almost a universal sigh of relief once the away fighter emerged from their fiercely contested encounter with the WBO interim strap.
And so, by claiming the belt, Barboza has now placed himself in a strong position to take on WBO champion Lopez.
At the same time, though, with Lopez targeting a lucrative showdown at Alcatraz Prison, perhaps he will find a way to swerve the mandatory challenger.
Still, whether it is for a vacant strap or not, Barboza has done more than enough to earn his first world title shot.
