American promoter Bob Arum has flown off the handle after his boxer Josh Taylor 19-2 (13) lost his grudge match to Jack Catterall 29-1 (13) at First Direct Arena in Leeds, England on Saturday night.
In their first bout two years ago Catterall dropped a split decision in a fight many fans and pundits thought he won. This time there was no dispute who the victor was as the 30-year-old Englishman ran away with the win by scores of 117-111 twice and 116-113.
Make that almost no dispute. Arum asserted that Scotland’s Taylor, 33, did enough to be the nod.
“I saw the fight like everybody else,” the 92-year-old Top Rank chief said. “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.
“That’s a lesson. I will never, ever allow an American fighter to come here with this British [Boxing] Board [of Control] scoring the fight. Those scores were ridiculous.”
Eddie Hearn, who promoted the bout, admitted the fight was closer than the scorecards suggested, but said that the right man had his hand raised in the end.
“The Scottish fans won’t be happy. I thought the judges’ scorecards were too wide. But the winner was bang on. Jack Catterall won that fight. He closed the show beautifully. He dominated the first six rounds,” the Matchroom Boxing boss said.
“I love Scotland, but justice was served tonight, that’s for sure. Two years ago this man should have been the undisputed world champion, and it doesn’t matter because tonight he wins, but he should have the belts around his waist. That was a brilliant fight. The first fight was a bit of a stinker. That was a tremendous battle.
“I’m so pleased this man got victory tonight. He deserves it.
“The third fight is a big fight, but he deserves to be world champion. That’s got to be the focus. We’re deep at 140; Subriel Matias fights Liam Paro coming up; we’ve got Devin Haney against Sandor Martin. I’d love to see this guy challenge and hopefully win a world championship.”
Catterall’s trainer Jamie Moore said the Taylor fight was the perfect preparation for a world title shot.
“It’s the first time that Jack has ever been in a dogfight type of fight because Josh was the first person who has been good enough to drag him into that scenario,” Moore said at the post-fight press conference.
“He’ll learn so much from that and I’m glad because if Eddie is going to get him a world title shot, he’s going to have to be prepared and experienced in doing that sort of stuff and that’s the best sort of training he can do for it.”
In an interview with iFL TV, Hearn had this to say about Arum’s outburst: “Bob’s 93, he doesn’t give a fuck. He doesn’t care what you think, I think, the millions watching around the world, he wanted to get on the mic and have a little spiel.
“Respect to him, he knows his boxing, I agree with him, but I don’t agree that Josh Taylor won the fight, I don’t think many people feel that. But I do feel like the scorecards were wide.”
