Jack Catterall has waited two long years for this, and he is now just days away from getting what he always wanted – another shot at arch rival Josh Taylor.
In early 2022 these two men met in Glasgow with Taylor’s world lightweight titles on the line. In the end Taylor prevailed by a controversial split decision, but most experts believed Catterall (28-1) had won handily.
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The 30-year-old ‘El Gato’ from Chorley, Lancashire believes Taylor (19-1) has done everything possible to avoid him since that acrimonious night in Scotland. But in Leeds on Saturday there will be no hiding place for either man as Leeds First Direct Arena hosts the eagerly-awaited rematch (live on DAZN).
Catterall ready for second chance
Catterall is ready for the opportunity, in fact he is salivating at the prospect. He explained: “I think we’ve had two years since the fight where I’ve matured in and out of the ring. I’ve been doing a lot of developing and I think it’s my time now to prove that I do belong in these big fights. Once I beat Josh I’ll go on and win a World Title.
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“I want to prove myself and fight the best, if this is the fight and victory that I need to put myself one step closer to the World Titles, then game on. I want to be involved in big fights and this is a big fight. It would have been the cherry on top if we could have got it for a World Title, I have ambitions to go on and win a World Title, but this fight is worthy of a World Title, and it gets me up for it.”
‘Of course Josh avoided me’
Back to that two-year wait, and Catterall has zero doubt that Taylor did not want this rematch.
“Do I think Josh Taylor ever avoided me? Of course,” he claimed.
“Josh doesn’t want to fight me. Since the first fight we’ve had the fight rescheduled maybe four times now. He’s looking for any way out. He’s in a position where he has to fight me. I think he’s been forced into this position. When you look at the landscape, the fights that are there and the fights that aren’t there, this fight makes a lot of sense. Do I think he wants it? No. Does he have to take it? Yes.
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“He didn’t want this, he had great plans to go to 147 and challenge for World Titles up there. He cemented 140 but unfortunately for him, his biggest fight is me. I know that he’s my biggest fight, I can accept that, but for him I think it’s frustrating that he can’t go up and fight Crawford etc, because it stinks still so he’s got to fight me.”
The beef is very real
The beef between the two men was crystal clear when they engaged in a feisty press tour earlier this year which included dates in Edinburgh and Manchester. Catterall is only too happy now to re-iterate the fact that he does not like the man who will stand across from him on Saturday night.
“He’s not my type of person. I don’t think we would go out for a coffee or a beer. I just don’t like him. I can’t wait to stop talking about him. I want to beat him in every way possible. I want to make it slow and painful, but I also want to knock him out cold.
‘He should enjoy this, it’s probably going to be his last fight. There’s no room to hide Josh. Rival, enemy – Josh Taylor is that to me. The judges can’t save him. I can’t f***ing wait.”
