For one boxer it’s personal, for the other it’s strictly business.
But no matter which way you slice it, the rematch between former undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh ‘The Tartan Tornado’ Taylor 19-1 (13) and Jack ‘El Gato’ Catterall 28-1 (13) at First Direct Arena in Leeds, England this Saturday night is a grudge match.
In their first all-southpaw showdown over two years ago, Catterall surprised Taylor by giving him all he could handle over 12 rounds.
Taylor was cut twice by the left eye and was down in the eighth round before the fight got scrappy late. Catterall was deducted one point for holding in the 10th while the then-WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine 140-pound champion was deducted one point in the 11th for punching after the bell.
The end result was a split decision victory for Taylor by scores of 114-111, 113-112 and 112-113 that has been debated ever since.
The rematch has been scheduled, postponed and cancelled that many times that fight fans for a time doubted it would ever come to fruition. But finally, the time is almost here.
“We’re finally here. It’s been a long time coming. I’m looking forward to it now,” Scotland’s Taylor, 33, said.
“I’ve had a lot of stick but I’ve never taken it personal, but I will be taking it out on Jack on Saturday night. It’s just another boxing match.
“Forget the last fight, forget everything else that has gone on – this is a completely new fight. New fight, new circumstances. No belt on the line. Yes, there’s some beef there but listen, I’m a consummate professional and I’m enjoying fight week. I can’t wait to get in there on Saturday.”
Taylor will be looking to rebound from his lone professional loss in his last fight when he went down by 12-round unanimous decision to Teofimo Lopez 20-1 (13) at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden last June.
It has been his only fight since his win over Catterall in February 2022.
Catterall had a period of inactivity after their first fight two. He did not box for 15 months as he waited for the rematch to be scheduled. Last May he returned with a 10-round decision win over southpaw Darragh Foley 22-5-1 (10) and backed this up with another points win, this time over veteran former world champion Jorge Linares 47-9 (29) in October.
After the long wait, Catterall is ready to log the win and move on with his career.
“We saw each other last night at the first face-off and there wasn’t a word spoken from him,” the 30-year-old Englishman said.
“We’ll see, it might change as he’s making weight and I’m making weight at the weigh-in on Friday, but right now he’s not got much to say. I think we’re both focused on the job.
“For me it’s personal with Josh. It’s a fight that I believe I won. I’m excited to put that right.
“I still have goals and aspirations of becoming a world champion, but one step at a time. We’ve got a big fight on Saturday and that’s all I’m focused on.”
