Junior welterweights Jack Catterall 27-1 (13) and Jorge Linares 47-8 (29) both view their fight at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England on Saturday night as a crossroads bout.
For Venezuela’s Linares, 38, it is an opportunity to break a three-fight losing streak and prove he has one more championship run left in him while British southpaw Catterall ,30, wants to prove his hotly disputed split decision loss to Josh Taylor 19-1 (13) for the undisputed 140-pound world championship last year was no fluke.
“The fact that Jorge has been over here a number of times means that fans here are familiar with him, that’s helped to sell the fight,” Catterall said.
“When I got the call and was told it was Jorge next, it kicked me into action. It’s an exciting name who has been there and got the t-shirt, he’s had his time in the sun and now it’s my time.
“It excited me that he’s back training with Ismael Salas, that’s made me train extra hard at home.
“I put pressure on myself, he’s been a three-time world champion, I would never look past this fight or disrespect Jorge. I think he understands that the winner of this fight puts themselves in the picture for much bigger fights.
“I set out in this sport to be world champion. We haven’t achieved that yet but I do believe I have the ability to do it. We’ve had conversations about a number of fights in the future but all of that means nothing without beating Jorge on Saturday.”
England is a happy hunting ground for Linares, who is 3-0 in previous trips to Old Blighty.
“I have a lot of beautiful memories of fighting in England, in London with Kevin Mitchell and two times in Manchester with Anthony Crolla,” Linares said. “This is a different time and opponent.
“I feel I am fighting an undefeated fighter. For me, Catterall is a world champion. He didn’t lose the fight against Josh Taylor.
“So this is a big night for me. I am close to retirement, I’m coming in great shape, better than the other times I’ve come to England. I feel like a 20 year old. I’m excited and super excited to be here. I don’t like talking too much, but I am excited to have a great fight with Jack.
“I’m coming off three losses but I don’t think about that, I know I’m in with a great fighter but I’ve been here before and have had a great camp.”
If Catterall is successful, promoter Eddie Hearn sees him as a viable opponent for the winner of the upcoming WBC junior weltwerweight title fight between champion Regis Prograis 29-1 (24) and challenger Devin Haney 30-0 (15) in San Francisco on December 9.
“Jack Catterall wants what he believe he deserves and that’s a shot at the world championship,” said Hearn on Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel. “He feels he should be the undisputed champion. You can’t change what happened. It’s in the past, gone.
“He now wants a shot at the winner of [the Prograis vs Haney bout].”
