Jack Catterall gains ‘justice’ with victory over Josh Taylor in thrilling rematch

Jack Catterall banished the shadow of his controversial loss to Josh Taylor by defeating the Scot in a thriller on Saturday.

Over two years after Taylor gained a hotly-contested resolution towards the Englishman in Glasgow, Catterall outboxed a decided Taylor to realize “justice” – as promoter Eddie Hearn described the consequence.

Catterall avenged the only real lack of his skilled profession by successful 117-111, 117-111, 116-113 in Leeds. Hearn did counsel that the scorecards have been “too vast”, whereas fellow promoter Bob Arum grabbed a microphone to declare the scores a “shame”, however most observers agreed that Catterall was the appropriate winner.

Whereas the rivals’ first conflict was a scrappy affair, their rematch produced quite a few moments of nice high quality.

Taylor pressed ahead all through, whereas Catterall fought nicely behind his jab and put collectively quite a lot of spectacular flurries. Catterall began to tug away because the combat entered its second half, and though a resilient Taylor arrested some momentum, his fellow southpaw produced extra essential moments of high quality late on.

Within the eleventh spherical, Taylor walked onto a tough left hook, and Catterall added one other earlier than pouring on straight photographs. A determined Taylor held Catterall, and the pair tumbled to the mat collectively – simply as they did of their first combat.

It was not the primary time that Catterall had Taylor in hassle within the combat, and though Catterall appeared drained at occasions, he navigated the ultimate moments nicely to safe the unanimous-decision victory.

Of their first combat, Taylor retained the undisputed super-lightweight titles. He later vacated and was stripped of three of the 4 belts, earlier than dropping his last strap to Teofimo Lopez final June. In the meantime, Catterall went 2-0 within the time between his fights with Taylor.

“It’s bittersweet tonight,” Catterall mentioned. “No world titles, [but] I gained the combat. We are able to shut that chapter with Josh Taylor.

“Hear, I consider I gained the combat, I took extra dangers this time. Josh is an elite operator. I boxed good. Even within the second half of the combat, the rounds after I was extra reserved, I used to be controlling the tempo.

“It was a combat of two halves, however I nonetheless consider: The rounds that I gained, I gained clearly. None of it’s private, we’ve shared 24 rounds collectively now, so respect to Josh.”

Taylor mentioned: “I assumed it was an excellent combat. Truthful play to Jack, he boxed a greater combat immediately. I assumed I simply nicked it. It was an in depth combat. If he desires to go on to greater fights, he deserves it. He gained, however that’s 1-1; let’s do a trilogy.”

Catterall’s promoter Hearn added: “I feel the judges’ scorecards have been too vast, however the appropriate man gained. Hear, I really like Scotland, however justice was served tonight. However he ought to have the belts round his waist.

“That was an incredible battle. Jack boxed fantastically at occasions. He deserves to be world champion, that’s acquired to be the main focus. I’d like to see this man problem for – and rightfully win – a world title.”

Taylor’s promoter Arum, 92, then seized a microphone to label the scores a “shame”, to the sound of boos on the First Direct Enviornment.