Jack Catterall Wins Taylor Rematch, Promoter Bob Arum Calls UK Scorecards An Absolute Disgrace

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Leeds, UK (May 26th, 2024)– “I saw the fight like everybody else. Those scorecards were a disgrace, an absolute disgrace, and I really feel sorry for Josh. I thought he won the fight, but those scorecards were ridiculous, and that’s a lesson. I will never ever allow an American fighter to come here with this British Board (of Control) scoring the fight. Those scores were ridiculous.” Said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn looking on.

Arum’s center of the ring post fight tirade appeared sufficient to fuel the fire for a Jack Catterall versus Josh Taylor trilogy rematch.

Light welterweight southpaw Jack ‘El Gato’ Catterall, 29-1 with 13 knockouts, Choley, Lancashire, United Kingdom, avenged his lone loss in 2022 with a controversial unanimous 12 round decision win over former World Super Lightweight champion Josh Taylor, 19-2 with 13 knockouts, Haddington, Scotland, United Kingdom, on May 25, 2024, in the main event of a seven bout card at First Direct Arena, Leeds, United Kingdom. While Catterall avenged his controversial split decision loss to Taylor in 2022 most experts believed he won, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum certainly was not on Catterall’s side on this occasion.

Catterall’s southpaw right jab frequently scored. Taylor had the power left hand and looked to counter. The first three rounds were fast, then the pace slowed down. If numbers tell the story, though, Catterall landed 176 of 531 punches overall, a 33.1% ratio. Taylor landed 162 of 491 punches thrown, a 33% ratio. While the slimest of margins, Catterall did outwork Taylor by the numbers, which justified at least one scorecard of 116-113. Many of the rounds were close, and this partly contributed to Bob Arum’s ire. Taylor landed 88 jabs to Taylor’s 60. Taylor landed 102 power shots to Catterall’s 88. The combatants were separated by three or less punches landed in six of the twelve rounds, and would more than justify an argument rounds such as these are difficult to score. A technical judge at ringside would have the superior bird’s eye view of punches landed and scored.

Taylor did excellent body work. Both fighters displayed quality work rates working in close. Catterall put combinations together well, and countered well. A strong right hand by Catterall to the bloody nose face of Taylor in the eleventh round was an impressionable blow, backing Taylor up, and when Catterall and Taylor then both tumbled to the canvas thereafter, the tenth round was a deciding factor for Catterall. Taylor came forward and made a go of it in a 12 round bout not for any title this time, only blood, guts and glory. Close enough to do it a third time. A key understanding from the Arum viewpoint is if this bout were held again in Glasgow, Taylor would have won. That being the case, perhaps Arum and Hearn should consider putting Taylor and Catterall together for the third time on neutral ground, such as Riyadh where Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk just fought. One could have argued both fighters gave their all, and the scorecards could have gone either well. Arum is claiming the decision was just stolen. It may have appeared that way visually, but the round by round punch count and overall punch count, however close, still favored Catterall.

Result: 117-111, 117-111, 116-113 Catterall. Referee: Kevin Parker.

First Direct Arena Leeds Undercard Results

Cheavon Clarke KO 8 Ellis Zorro, Cruiserweights (2:59)

Clarke wins vacant BBBofC British Cruiserweight title

Zorro counted out after getting hit by a right cross to head. Punch appeared at or after bell.

Paddy Donavan TKO 9 Lewis Ritson, Welterweights (0:32)

Irish southpaw prospect Paddy Donavan now 14-0.

Gary Cully Win 10 Francesco Patera, Lightweights

18-1 Irish southpaw Cully wins with scores of 96-94, 96-94, and 98-92.

George Liddard KO 1 Graham McCormack, Middleweights (1:28)

7-0 British Essex prospect Liddard drops weight to middleweight from super middleweight.

McCormack down twice. Liddard will fight again in Brentwood Centre in June 2024.

Giorgio Visioli KO 4 Sergio Odabai, Super Featherweights (1:47)

3-0 Guildford Surrey super featherweight prospect Visioli knocks out Odabai with body shot

 

Bob Arum LOSES It After Jack Catterall Beats Josh Taylor 🤐 (youtube.com)

Jack Catterall Gets REVENGE With Decision Over Josh Taylor | FIGHT HIGHLIGHTS (youtube.com)

JACK CATTERALL SAVOURS JOSH TAYLOR WIN AND CALLS FOR WORLD TITLE FIGHT WITH TEOFIMO LOPEZ NEXT

‘El Gato’ moves to 29-1 with unanimous points victory over Scotsman at sold-out Leeds First Direct Arena
Jack Catterall sealed it with a kiss as the Chorley Super-Lightweight ended a two-year wait for revenge by beating Josh Taylor in Leeds last night.

In what will go down as one of the best British bouts of the year so far, there was an element of controversy once more in this powder keg clash between the two auld enemies with the judges scoring coming into question like their first contest some two years ago.

But there was little doubt that the right man had his hands raised in victory this time round as Catterall avenged the sole defeat of his career thus far with a unanimous 117-111, 117-111, 116-113 points victory.

An electric sold-out crowd of 12,000 fans at the Leeds First Direct Arena congratulated the Jamie Moore-trained fighter on his long-overdue success – led, of course, by his biggest supporter and proud partner Lauren Finch, who Catterall will marry in 10 days’ time.

And after the pair embraced in the centre of the ring, Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) was quick to outline his ambitions of becoming a World Champion in the 140lbs division with his sights set firmly on securing the straps he felt he should have acquired in Glasgow back in 2022 when he was first denied against a then-undisputed king in Taylor.

Catterall, who remarkably runs the Manchester 10k today (Sunday) despite his gruelling extolls less than 24 hours ago, underlined his targets during a post-fight press conference alongside Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn – and revealed his hopes to face WBO and Ring Magazine World Champion, Teofimo Lopez next.

“The World Title has always been the dream for me,” said Catterall.

“We didn’t get the undisputed and we didn’t get the World Titles last time. But that’s fine because that chapter has been rewritten now.

“We’re in a great position and Eddie (Hearn) has a massive stable at 140 so I want that World Title fight.

“I was mandatory for the WBO title for what felt like a lifetime. He beat Taylor before I did. We’ve both had a win over him and now I want to prove that I’m better than him. I believe I’ve got the style to beat Lopez and that’s the fight I want.

“It’s time to share the ring with you (Teofimo Lopez). Let’s see who the true champion is.”

On winning the fight last night, the 30-year-old added: “It was a big relief. We’ve been there before, and I turned straight to Eddie (Hearn) because I thought I’d won the first fight clearly and then I thought I had won this one clearly too. But you never know with some of the scorecards, so to get the decision was a right relief for me.

“I knew the threats that Josh would bring and that I needed to stay disciplined and not get too complacent in there. But I also knew I needed to push and squeeze for this victory, as I knew I wouldn’t be able to coast to the win. I had to keep my emotions intact and take the opportunities when I saw them.

“You’ve got to be prepared for every outcome and to adapt. We didn’t know whether Josh would. come out of the blocks for the first four rounds or whether he was going to try and drag it out in the later rounds. I trained hard and you must be ready for anything in there. I’d had a long camp with some great sparring partners, so ultimately, I just had to adjust and tackle what was put in front of me.

Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn agrees that Catterall has now earned the right to challenge for a world title – and insists the Englishman would have no trouble accomplishing that feat should he collide with Lopez next.

“After a fight like that, with that kind of profile in front of a sold-out crowd and huge worldwide audience live on DAZN and also, in the U.S, on ESPN+, Jack is right up there,” Hearn said.

“Of course, people talk about the trilogy (with Taylor). For me, I will always look at the biggest fights out there. But it’s also important we look at the big fights for the career of Jack Catterall.

“He should have been the undisputed World Champion, so we now need to try and position him for a World Championship. When you have a performance like that and a night like that, positioning someone like that is far more easier to do because people want to see it.

“We have Subriel Matias fighting Liam Paro in a couple of weeks (June 15) and we will have Devin Haney fighting Sandor Martin.

“Teofimo Lopez is fighting Steve Claggett – and, without being disrespectful to Steve Claggett, it is a disgrace. It’s a joke fight for someone who says he’s the best 140lb in the world. Jack Catterall is the guy who should be fighting Teofimo Lopez, and we believe he will beat him all day long.

“We believe that Jack should be a World Champion now, but that’s a thing of the past and is now the next step and the natural step. One thing we know for sure, it will be a massive fight next – and, if I have a choice, it will be for a World Title against Lopez.”

Gravesend Cruiserweight Cheavon Clarke progressed to 9-0 (7 KOs) as he stopped Ellis Zorro in eight rounds to claim the vacant British Title in the chief support bout, Limerick Welterweight Paddy Donovan (14-0, 11 KOs) moved a step closer to a showdown with the winner of Lewis Crocker vs. Conah Walker by halting Lewis Ritson in nine rounds to retain his WBA Continental Title, Naas Lightweight Gary Cully (18-1, 10 KOs) picked up the vacant WBA Continental Title by outpointing Francesco Patera over ten rounds, Aldershot Lightweight Giorgio Visilio (3-0, 3 KOs) made it three knockouts from three fights against Sergio Odabai, Billericay Middleweight George Liddard (7-0, 4 KOs) picked up his second with of the year against Graham McCormack and Newham Super-Welterweight Leli Buttigieg (4-0, 1 KO) kicked off the Before The Bell action by decisioning Anas Isarti.

 

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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].