Catterall gets revenge, beats Taylor by decision

Jack Catterall defeated Josh Taylor via unanimous decision (117-111, 117-111, 116-113) in a long-awaited junior welterweight rematch Saturday in Leeds, England.

Catterall avenged a controversial split-decision loss to Taylor from February 2022, finally evening the score after several delays and cancellations. Taylor was the undisputed junior welterweight champion during their first fight, but no world titles were on the line in the rematch.

"It's bittersweet tonight," Catterall said in his postfight interview. "No world titles. I won the fight. I can close that chapter with Josh Taylor."

Catterall cruised in several of the first six rounds, fighting behind his jab to outpoint Taylor. He tagged Taylor with a big shot at the end of the fifth round.

But the second half of the fight was a different story. Catterall and Taylor traded punches to make for some very competitive rounds. Taylor had a terrific seventh, landing hard right hooks.

Catterall found late success to seal the deal on the judges' scorecards. He rocked Taylor with a huge left in the 11th round. Taylor took the 12th on two judges' scorecards, but it was too little, too late.

"Justice was served tonight," Catterall's promoter Eddie Hearn said. "Two years ago, this man should've been the undisputed junior welterweight champion. It doesn't matter because he won tonight. But he should've had the belts."

Taylor expressed interest in a third bout with Catterall.

"If he wants to go challenge for bigger things, then he deserves it," Taylor said. "But it's one apiece. So let's do it. Let's do the trilogy."

Catterall has now won three straight fights since the loss to Taylor two years ago. Catterall, of Chorley, England, picked up a pair of unanimous decision victories in 2023 to set up the rematch.

Taylor, who fights out of Scotland, is now riding the first losing streak of his career. He suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Teofimo Lopez last June in which he dropped the WBO junior welterweight title. Taylor had previously given up his three other belts to pursue a rematch with Catterall.