Former undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh ‘The Tartan Tornado’ Taylor 19-1 (13) insists he is ready, willing and able to face Jack ‘El Gato’ Catterall 28-1 (13) in a rematch – providing the money is right.
In their first fight at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland in February last year, Taylor escaped with a split decision win to successfully defend his WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF 140-pound titles by split decision.
The all-southpaw battle was a scrappy affair with Taylor cut twice by the left eye, going down in the eighth round and being deducted one point in the 11th for punching after the bell. Catterall was deducted one point for holding in the 10th.
Taylor eventually prevailed by scores of 114-111, 113-112 and 112-113.
Talk of a rematch has been bubbling away ever since and now Taylor, who lost his last fight to Teofimo Lopez 19-1 (13) by unanimous decision in June, says the time is right to make it happen.
“If they come back with an offer that’s sensible and we’re like, alright. Well, fucking right we’re gonna do it. I’m not gonna fight for nothing am I? It’s a big fight so why am I not gonna be expecting to get big fight wages,” Taylor told iFL TV after posting to X post that promoter Matchroom Boxing made him an offer for the rematch that represented an 80% pay cut from the first bout.
“It’s the same with Jack’s side. He should be saying the same as well. He’s just taking the first offer he’s getting from Eddie [Hearn]. It’s a bigger fight, there’s more money on the table.”
The 30-year-old Catterall of Chorley in England was last sighted at ringside taking in the WBC junior welterweight title fight between champion Regis Prograis 29-2 (24) and challenger Devin Haney 31-0 (15) at the Chase Cetner in San Francisco, California on Saturday night.
It was a pointless exercise, says Taylor, who insists Catterall isn’t a draw at home or abroad.
“They’re not bothered about belts and this and that and they just wanna fight,” Taylor continued. “Then, in the next interview he’s saying he wants to be world champion, ‘my main focus is to be world champion, I’m not really bothered about Josh Taylor’.
“Then, he’s just flew all the way over there. Never even thought of, never even looked at, wasted time, wasted journey. He’s got nowhere to go. He’s trying to moan at me. He’s not a draw, he sells about 500 tickets. He’s not got a belt and he’s not got a fight so he’s got nowhere to go except for me getting him his payday and that’s the reality of it.
“If he wants to put it in Manchester, I’ll fight him anywhere.”
After all the talk from both sides, a rematch to settle the score once and for all would be welcome.
