QUICK on the heels of Tyson Fury’s stunning clash with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title in Riyadh, one that saw Fury taste defeat for the first time as a professional, Scotland’s Josh Taylor faces bitter rival Jack Catterall in Leeds in a domestic encounter and rematch that’s been a long time coming.
The first fight ended with a controversial majority points decision falling in Taylor’s favour, in the aftermath of which the Scotsman incurred the wrath of Catterall and many boxing fans and pundits. He and his family were even subjected to death threats, such was the level of vitriol thrown in his direction. The result is this weekend’s rematch in Leeds with bad blood written all over it.
There are some, including this writer, who have questioned Taylor’s ability to make the 140lb super-lightweight limit healthily, given his age and 5ft-10in frame. Because if his last couple peformances are anything to go by — his controversial points victory over Catterall and his defeat against Teofilo Lopez — there is a marked difference between being able to make a given weight, and being able to perform at it over 12 hard rounds.
Regardless, Taylor has been adamant throughout that making 140 will not be an issue this time round, citing injuries and other factors as reasons for his less than stellar last two outings.
Since fighting Taylor first time round in February 2022, Catterall has impressed with wins over Darragh Foley and Venezuelan veteran Jorge Linares. A native of Chorley in Lancashire, the 30-year-old is confident that he will stop Taylor in the rematch. Catterall: “I want to beat him [Taylor] in every way possible. I want to make it slow and painful, but I also want to knock him out cold.”
Taylor has just cause to feel aggrieved at the lack of recognition his achievement in becoming the first ever, and so far only, British undisputed champion in the four belt era. This he did with his emphatic stoppage of Jose Ramirez in Las Vegas in May 2021. Perhaps at least in part due to the fact that Covid restrictions were still in place at the time, his victory over Ramirez to become the world undisputed super-lightweight champion barely registered on the radar of the British sports media at the time.
Now, three years on, and by now with his fair share of miles on the clock, the 33-year-old native of Prestonpans, just outside Edinburgh, will arrive in Leeds fuelled by the desire to make his critics and detractors eat their words. Taylor: “I made the mistake of overlooking him [Catterall] last time. I will never make that mistake again. He’s got my full attention and I’m ready to put things right come fight night.”
There is nothing more powerful than a fighter with a point to prove, which both men have going into this fight for different reasons. Little wonder, then, that it has the British boxing public so energised and excited. With the centre of gravity of elite level boxing having shifted over to Saudi Arabia of late, it is also refreshing to see a fight of this magnitude taking place in front of a racuous crowd in Britain.
Whoever prevails when they meet at the Leeds arena, the stakes are so high that it’s hard to see where the loser goes next. For Taylor, a man who speaks his mind and to hell with the consquences, Catterall represents a stone in his shoe that needs to be removed in order for him to move forward. Catterall, meanwhile, needs to show the world that he really does have Taylor’s number and is deserving of another challenge for a world title sooner rather than later.
While there are no belts on the line in Leeds, this is a fight that doesn’t need them to make it a must-win for both men. The Scotland v England aspect merely adds more spice to what has all the makings of a classic.
Speaking of classics, the Fury-Usyk clash in Riyadh last weekend turned out to be one of the most thrilling heavyweight dust-ups of recent times. It didn’t just move back and forth, it positively see-sawed, such was the extent to which both fighters had their moments over the 12 rounds.
Fury had come in significantly lighter in weight compared to his past few fights and decided to try to box the much smaller man. By the middle rounds he looked comfortable doing so, landing some effective short right uppercuts as Usyk came forward, as well as some nice body shots from distance.
But this Ukrainian and former undisputed cruiserweight champion is no ordinary specimen, measured in his ability make those all-important adjustments at precisely the point when it matters.
The 9th round in particular will be watched and rewatched for years to come, it was so dramatic. Taking advantage of Fury’s mistake in continuing to drop his right hand, Usyk found the mark with a thunderous lead left-hook to Fury’s chin to send the 6ft-9in giant on a tour of the ring while literally out on his feet, staggering around like a man who’d just sunk 15 pints of German lager.
Both the ropes and referee Mark Nelson saved the Gypsy King from the ignominy of being stopped — the ropes in stopping him from hitting the canvas, and Nelson by stepping in before Usyk could finish matters to give Fury the benefit of an eight count. It was only lucky for Fury that soon after the bell sounded to provide him with some desperately needed respite.
Fury was clear after the fight that he thought he’d done enough to get the nod from the judges, claiming that if his corner had told him he was behind with two rounds to go that he would’ve been more aggressive and tried to get Usyk out of there. The Fury corner was a shambles, a circus involving head trainer Sugar Hill and his assistants, Andy Lee and father John Fury, all shouting different and contradictory instructions at him in the corner between rounds as the fight drew to its close.
No matter, the right man got his hand raised in the end and Usyk departed Riyadh a worthy undisputed champion. He’s the very definition of a gentleman and class act, the Ukrainian, a fighter who provides top-flight boxing with a much-needed injection of credibility and sportsmanship.
