By: Sean Crose
The truth is that there's unfinished business between Scotland's Josh Taylor and England's Jack Catterall. When the two junior lightweights met in 2022 they fought a close battle that turned controversial when the judges awarded Taylor a unanimous decision win. Still, although Taylor was able to walk out of the ring that night with his numerous title belts remaining in his possession, his days as a divisional kingpin were numbered. For his very next fight, which went down in 2023, saw Taylor dominated by Teofimo Lopez en route to dropping a unanimous decision to the brash American.
Now, at the age of 33, Taylor is looking to get his career back on track. And one of the best ways for him to do this is to put to bed any nagging questions regarding his fight with Catterall. That's why their rematch on April 27th is generating interest. "I’m looking forward to getting this fight done," Taylor says. "The first one is done, he couldn’t beat me the first time and he certainly won't beat me this time, so I’m looking forward to it." To hear Taylor speak is to hear him argue that this second go round with Catterall is too long in coming.
"It’s been a long two years coming," he says. "We tried to get the fight done straight away and it never happened, the mandatory then came in. But we’re here now, there’s no point in keeping on talking about what happened, we’re going to settle the score on April 27." Taylor is also willing to address the fact that things got rough between he and Catterall at the press conference for their second go-round. "You need to have a word with your man," he has said to team Catterall. "That’s three times he’s tried to put his hands on me, he’s meant to be a professional athlete. Keep your hands to yourself you little rat."
There's good reason, of course, for there to be tension in the air. "It is must-win, it’s a crossroads fight for us both," says Taylor, "when I beat him this time again, he’s got nowhere to go. His biggest night is me and when I beat him again, he’ll have nowhere to go and he’ll retire without a prime, with no belts and he’ll never be a World champion." And, as if he hadn't stated it clearly enough, Taylor stated the following:
"On April 27, I end Jack Catterall’s career."
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