IN a period when rematches are happening more and more there is one that has always been a possibility since February 26, 2022.
That night in Glasgow Josh Taylor defended his four super-lightweight titles against Jack Catterall. The Scot had been the overwhelming favourite to successfully retain his belts against his English opponent but what played out at the SSE Hyrdro was one of the most controversial results seen in recent times.
After 12 rounds Taylor got the nod from two of the three judges (Ian John-Lewis 114-111 and Victor Loughlin 113-112) while judge Howard Foster reached a score of 113-112 in favour of Catterall. Many believed that the Chorley southpaw done more than enough with Boxing News describing the result as “harsh” and “unfair”.
Since then, the rivalry and animosity between the two fighters has grown and grown with fiery verbal sparring taking place across social media and through various interviews. Inactivity has blighted their careers in the 19 months which has followed with both only having fought once. Catterall comfortably decisioned Darragh Foley over 10 rounds on May 27 and two weeks later Taylor lost his unbeaten record and the one belt (WBO) left in his possession, having vacated the others, to an on-song Teofimo Lopez in New York.
Catterall is back in action on October 21 when he faces a 38-year-old Jorge Linares in Liverpool while Taylor is yet to make his next move. Talk of a rematch between Catterall and Taylor has bubbled under the surface and Catterall’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed to Boxing News that he reached out to Taylor’s promoters Top Rank about a second fight between the pair.
“Just a conversation with Carl Moretti (Top Rank Vice-President) saying I’d like to make that fight and he said, ‘We’re up for that, let us know how you see it working’.
“I see the fight at about 143lbs. Obviously, Josh Taylor I think he wants to move up from 140 but Jack is at 140. He’s got to fight Linares and beat him but if he does hopefully, we can make that fight for January/February 2024.”
