Josh ‘The Tartan Tornado’ Taylor 19-0 (13) surprisingly retained his undisputed junior welterweight championship with a 12-round split decision victory over Jack ‘El Gato’ Catterall 26-1 (13) at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday night.
In an all-southpaw battle it was Catterall, 28, who got out of the blocks the fastest, doubling up the jab and working well to the body and head. He clearly had Taylor’s measure and appeared to be streaking ahead on the scorecards by the midway point of the fight.
The 31-year-old Taylor, who held a three-inch height advantage, repeatedly walked into stiff shots from his younger challenger and failed to adjust to the tempo and rhythm of the fight.
It appeared that Catterall put a stamp on the fight when he dropped Taylor before the midway mark of round eight. The champion rose on wobbly legs but managed to see out the three-minute stanza.
Referee Marcus McDonnell docked Catterall a point in the 10th for holding and also snipped Taylor in the 11th for punching after the bell.
When the dust settled, judge Howard Foster had it 113-112 for Catterall. Judges Ian John-Lewis and Victor Loughlin had Taylor up by scores of 114-111 and 113-112 respectively.
It was a stunning decision.
Catterall out-punched Taylor all night. According to CompuBox, the only round that Taylor out-landed Catterall was the 10th.
“It wasn’t my best performance. I put a helluva lot of pressure on myself,” Taylor admitted. “It’s my homecoming and it’s the first time in three years [fighting in Scotland] after lockdown.
“I put pressure on myself and it showed in the first half of the fight. But once I got the rhythm I started catching him with the bigger shots. It wasn’t my best performance, but I believe I got the win 100 per cent.”
Promoter Ben Shalom was understandably filthy with the result.
“I worried that they might call a draw and stop Jack having this historic night but the way this has gone I’m shocked right now,” Shalom told Sky Sports. “I’m shell-shocked.
“You know what, there has to be an inquest. I’ve seen this on other promoter’s shows and I’ve sort of laid the blame at them or not understood what’s gone on.
“But this was actually embarrassing. If there’s not an inquest it’s going to harm the sport. We’ll do everything we can because I’m not just embarrassed, I’m really angry.”
Shalom added: “How many times do we have to be here before something’s done. The fact is I was sat there, worried this would happen – which says a lot – and it did.”
Sky Sports commentator and former world champion Johnny Nelson was equally outraged: “I am so surprised. I gave Taylor four rounds. That was it.
“I can’t believe it and I feel so sorry for Catterall. It’s decisions like this which turn casual fans off. Josh Taylor did not win that fight.”
While Taylor manages to keep his titles, Catterall is just another hard luck boxing story.