Jack Catterall avenged his controversial defeat to Josh Taylor by singling out the Scot in front of a raucous Leeds crowd.
All three judges ruled in favor of El Gato with the scores reading 117-111, 117-111 and 116-113.
The Chorley fighter undoubtedly landed more accurate shots, but had to withstand a courageous fightback from Taylor, who suffered the second defeat of his professional career.
Catterall said he can now “close the chapter on Josh Taylor”, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: “I had a few niggles but I got over it. [them] and remained disciplined.
“We shared 24 rounds together. No matter how many people say it, there is always respect for another fighter. He’s a tough competitor.”
Taylor, however, said he is interested in a third meeting to “settle the score.”
Insisting he did enough to win a thrilling contest, the Scot added that “given all the noise around the first fight, they handed everything straight to Jack.”
The fight comes to life in the third
Since the explosive first fight in Glasgow in February 2022, when Taylor was handed victory by the judges in a fight most observers believed he had lost, there has been a feeling that both boxers’ careers have stagnated.
The Prestonpans man has fought just once since then, a decision defeat to Teofimo Lopez in New York last June, while Catterall’s points wins over Darragh Foley and veteran Jorge Linares have done little to advance his bid for another fight for the world title.
The animosity between Taylor and Catterall is genuine and intense, but both men have spoken in the lead-up to this long-awaited rematch about the importance of keeping their emotions in check when it finally comes time to step back between the ropes.
With the fight taking place less than 50 miles from his hometown of Chorley, Catterall entered the ring to a huge ovation, while Taylor looked more than happy to play the villain as boos rained down from the raucous crowd of 11,000.
How much does a 33-year-old Taylor have left in the tank? Was Catterall ready to prove he belongs at world level? These were the questions hanging in the air as the two rivals finally got down to business.
Catterall established his right jab in the early stages and while Taylor supported his opponent on the ropes, he was on the receiving end of some clever overhand lefts.
A clash of heads produced a nasty blow to Taylor’s head that appeared to be causing him some distress.
Both men had promised that the second installment would be more exciting and less cagey than the original and the fight came to life in the third when Taylor landed a big left to rock Catterall back to the ropes, only for the Englishman to fight fire with fire. and enjoy some success of your own.
Taylor was trying to force the pace, chasing his opponent around the ring, but Catterall is adept at boxing on the back foot and a late flurry probably swung the quarter in his favor.
Catterall came roaring out of the traps in the fifth, doubling Taylor with a quick combination in the center of the ring. The Scot ended the round lying on the ropes with Catterall teeing off and the bell was a welcome relief.
With the chants of “Chorley, Chorley” getting louder, their man was now firmly in control and although Taylor tried to get back in front, his shots weren’t going through as well as the ones he was receiving.
No controversy in the verdict this time
Taylor is nothing if not a warrior and came out with renewed vigor in the seventh. A beautiful left counterattack landed and for the first time in the fight Catterall seemed to feel the effects of some of Taylor’s attacks.
The Scot appeared to be enthusiastic about the task until a rapid series of punches caused his head to fall back and changed the momentum of the fight again.
Going into the 10th, both men had noticeable swelling under their eyes and the cat and mouse of the early rounds was replaced by brutal exchanges in the center of the ring.
Perhaps feeling he was behind on the scoreboard, Taylor went looking for Catterall in the 11th, only to hit a powerful shot that he did well to survive.
There was a sense of déjà vu in the final round, with Taylor certainly needing a stoppage, or at least a knockdown, to save the fight. Would Catterall try to take it out of the judges’ hands this time?
The two fought courageously until the end, but neither of them had the energy reserves to end the show and once again their fate would be in the hands of the referees.
There would be no controversy this time and although some might argue the score was a little wide, Catterall got the victory his performance deserved.
He will now pursue his attempts to achieve world honors. For Taylor, the future is less clear.
