Tale of the Tape: Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterrall
Coming up Saturday night, Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall for the undisputed jumior light-welterweight champion, at the SSE Hydroin Glasgow. Let’s break it down. #JackCatterall 28 years old he’s 5’7” with a 67” reach and a record of 26-0 with 13 knockouts. From Chorley England Catterall took up judo and wrestling at an early age before finding his way to boxing. After amassing an amateur record of 48-18 and winning several regional titles he turned pro in September of 2012 with a unanimous decision. He quickly went 9-0 with 5 knockouts before winning the European Junior welterweight title with a second round knockout of #TomStalker. In his next fight he blew out Cesar Inalef by fifth round tko to win the vacant WBO intercontinental Junior welterweight title and defended it 7 times with three knockouts before defeating #TyroneNurse by unanimous decision to claim the British title. He then blew out challenger #KevinMcCauley in one round and then defended his intercontinental championship 3 more times scoring a first round knockout of #ChristopherSebire as well as decisions over #TyroneMcKenna and former champion #O’HaraDavies. In 2019 he annihilated #OscarAmador in 3 rounds and then went on to defeat #TimoSchwarzkopf and #AbderrazakHouya by decision. A versatile southpaw Catterall is a powerful body puncher who is just as comfortable fighting on the inside as he is working from the outside, setting up his opponents with his excellent jab. #JoshTaylor 31 years old he’s 5’10” with a 69.5” reach and a record of 18-0 with 13 knockouts. From #Prestonpans #Scotland Taylor took up boxing at 15 and won a silver medal in the Commonwealth games in 2010. Two years later he became the first #Scottishboxer to qualify for the #Olympics since 1960 though he eventually lost in the quarterfinals to Italy’s #DomenicoValentino. He won gold in the Commonwealth games in 2014 and after amassing an amateur record of 49-22 he turned pro in 2015 with a second round knockout. He won his next 9 fights with 8 knockouts before taking on WBC silver champion O’Hara Davies dropping him in round 3 and twice more in seventh before the referee stopped the contest. For his first defense he took on former lightweight champion #MiguelVazquez and despite some trouble in the early rounds Taylor’s body attack proved too much as he dropped Vazquez who was unable to beat the count. After a quick knockout of Wilson Campos and a unanimous decision over #VictorPostol Taylor entered the World Boxing Super Series first outclassing #RyanMartin en route to a seventh round stoppage and then dominating champion #IvanBaranchyk, scoring two knockdowns to win a unanimous decision as well as the IBF Junior welterweight title. In the series final he took on WBA champion Regis Prograis ( pro gray) in what was widely regarded as one of the years best fights with both men putting on masterful performances of skill and heart with Taylor edging him out for the majority decision. He followed that up with a one round demolition of Thailand’s #ApinunKhongsong knocking out the challenger with a perfectly timed left hook to the ribs. On May 22, 2021 he took on WBC and WBO champion #JoseRamirez putting on a dominant performance and dropping Ramirez twice en route to a unanimous decision becoming only the second Scotsman to become an undisputed world champion. One of the most talented fighters to come from Great Britain in the last decade Taylor I’d equally skilled out boxing his opponents from the outside as he is at breaking them down on the inside. He uses a solid jab and excellent footwork to get inside his opponents guard and then a mix of hooks and uppercuts to keep them guessing and is one of the most prolific body punchers in the game. Will the unheralded Catterall be able to use his strength and jab to upset Taylor’s plans to move up and challenge at Welterweight or will the Tarton Totnado’s advantages in experience, speed and footwork be too much for his opponent as he continues to prove that he is one of the very best pound for pound fighters in the world? Tune in Saturday night and let’s find out.
