Jack Catterall produced a statement win over Regis Prograis to all but guarantee another world title shot in 2025.
‘El Gato’ delivered arguably the performance of his career so far in Manchester on Saturday night to cap a remarkable 11 months that also included long-awaited revenge over arch-rival Josh Taylor and victory against Jorge Linares, recovering from a debatable knockdown in the fifth to twice floor the two-time former world champion in round nine before claiming a deserved unanimous decision on the scorecards.
Having missed out on undisputed status due to that massively controversial initial defeat by Taylor in 2022, Catterall will now have his sights firmly fixed on finally realising his world title dreams at super-lightweight early next year, with Australia’s IBF champion Liam Paro - Catterall’s Matchroom stablemate who fights Richardson Hitchins in Puerto Rico in December - and WBO title-holder Teofimo Lopez now firmly on the radar.
"This guy is probably the most underrated fighter in the world,” promoter Eddie Hearn said of Catterall. “In 11 months he's beat Jorge Linares, Josh Taylor, now Regis Prograis. All in 11 months. This man needs a world title shot next.
“We have Liam Paro fighting Richardson Hitchins, December 7th in Puerto Rico. The winner of that fight - we want to put that [offer] straight forward to them to fight Jack Catterall next.
“For me, this WBO belt, he should be number one with the WBO. I would love to bring Teofimo Lopez to Manchester as well and give him a good a**e-kicking."
Saturday night’s co-main event was cancelled at late notice after Michael Gomez Jr, who had been due to take on Reece Bellotti with the British and Commonwealth super-featherweight belts on the line in a potential fight of the night contender, was taken ill in the changing rooms backstage and ruled out of the contest by doctors.
That led to a promotion to co-main event billing for Campbell Hatton, who was unable to avenge his first professional defeat as he again lost out on the scorecards to Jimmy Joe Flint after another gruelling war.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist Pat McCormack returned after 15 months out of the ring with an easy points win over Williams Andres Herrera, while super-welterweight prospect Junaid Bostan stayed undefeated by making light work of Maico Sommariva with a dominant third-round stoppage.
William Crolla, younger brother of former WBA lightweight world champion Anthony Crolla, made another emphatic statement with a first-round knockout of Lorenzo Grasso, while Liverpool duo Ste Clarke and Joe McGrail outpointed Mateusz Pawlowski and Lewis Morris respectively following a win on her professional debut for Emily Whitworth against Sara Orszagi.
