Josh Taylor, Jack Catterall Make Weight Ahead Of Long-Awaited Rematch
A rematch more than two years in the making is finally one sleep away.
Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall were both just under the junior welterweight limit for their long-awaited sequel. Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs), the former RING/undisputed 140-pound champion, weighed 139.6 pounds. Catterall tipped the scales at a finely-tuned 139.8 pounds.
The post weigh-in staredown was relatively brief but every bit as contentious as their previous face-to-face meetings. Their scheduled 12-round grudge match headlines a DAZN show this Saturday from First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.
The bout comes 27 months after their February 2022 meeting. Scotland’s Taylor defended The Ring crown and all four major sanctioning body titles in a questionable split decision victory. Many believed that Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs), The Ring’s No. 7-rated junior welterweight contender, was robbed of a championship win on the road in Glasgow.
Several postponements and one outright cancellation came with the effort to get the two back in the ring.
Taylor abandoned the rematch altogether in favor of a championship defense versus Teofimo Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs). That plan backfired, as Taylor suffered his first career defeat last June 10 in New York City. Lopez claimed The Ring championship and the WBO title with a well-earned unanimous decision.
The setback remains Taylor’s last ring appearance to date.
Catterall has fought twice since the controversial defeat Taylor. The inactivity is largely attributed to the several delays in getting his heated rival back in the ring.
The 30-year-old southpaw from Chorley, Lancashire signed with Matchroom Boxing last year. He won in both of his 2023 appearances. The latter came in a twelve-round decision over former three-division titlist Jorge Linares last October 21 in Liverpool.
Taylor-Catterall II was previously due to take place April 27. The bout was delayed by four weeks when Taylor suffered a flare-up to a recurring injury during training camp.
Below are the weights for the full undercard.
12 rounds, cruiserweight
Cheavon Clarke (8-0, 6 KOs), Gravesend, Kent, 199.3 pounds
Ellis Zorro (17-1, 7 KOs), Bromley, Kent, 198.6 pounds
10 rounds, welterweight
Paddy Donovan (13-0, 10 KOs), Limerick, Ireland, 145.4 pounds
Lewis Ritson (23-3, 13 KOs), Forest Hall, Tyne and Wear, 146.8 pounds
10 rounds, lightweight
Gary Cully (17-1, 10 KOs), Naas, Ireland, 134.1 pounds
Francesco Patera (29-4, 11 KOs), Genk, 134.1 Belgium
6 rounds, junior lightweight
Giorgio Visioli (2-0, 2 KOs), Guildford, Surrey, 134.1 pounds
Sergio Odabai (6-3-1, 3 KOs), Vienna, Austria, 136 ½ pounds
8 rounds, middleweight
George Liddard (6-0, 3 KOs), Billericay, Essex, 162.3 pounds
Graham McCormack (9-3-1, 1 KO), Limerick, Ireland, 162.3 pounds
6 rounds, junior middleweight
Leli Buttigieg (3-0, 1 KO), Newham, London, 157.6 pounds
Anas Isarti (4-2, 0 KOs), Las Vegas via Brussels, Belgium, 156.8 pounds
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
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