Plans are being drawn up for Jack Catterall to face Josh Taylor again, with Manchester or Glasgow primed to host the grudge match in 2024.
British super-lightweight Catterall claimed a unanimous decision victory over former three-weight champion Jorge Linares in Liverpool on Saturday night.
Two of the judges scored the fight 116-112 with another 117-111 in favour of Catterall, who is in line to face the winner of the December clash between WBC-belt holder Regis Prograis and Devin Haney, but is set to sidestep the world title shot to settle his score with long-standing foe Taylor.
They are two guys who cannot stand each other— Eddie Hearn
Catterall lost in controversial circumstances to Taylor in February 2022, when the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO super-lightweight belts were on the line with the Scottish boxer earning a split decision victory despite being put down in the eighth round and largely struggling against his English opponent.
“Taylor, where are ya? Let’s have it,” Catterall (28-1, 13KOs) said during his ringside interview.
Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn, who promoters Catterall, confirmed talks with Taylor’s Top Rank representatives will begin soon.
Hearn told Matchroom Boxing: “They are two guys who cannot stand each other.
“Josh Taylor is spiteful in and out of the ring, he is fantastic in the build-up and that would bring the best out of Jack Catterall, who is quite quiet and relaxed in general.
“The first fight was extremely controversial, we could do that in Manchester or Glasgow and we’ll be speaking to Top Rank to try and make it happen.”
Taylor had been expected to move up to the welterweight category following his defeat to Teofimo Lopez in June, but he was active on X, formerly known as Twitter, during Catterall’s bout with Linares and insisted his rival “couldn’t finish a roast dinner” after going the distance.
“I think you’ve seen with the success of Wood-Warrington, Smith-Eubank, potentially Benn-Eubank as well, the British fights work,” Hearn explained.
“There is so much bad blood between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall the build-up is going to be electric, it’s going to be spiteful and going to get people involved because of the narrative.
“They know from the first fight it could sell-out in Manchester or Glasgow and I think it’s the right fight for both fighters.
“Every fighter wants to win a world title, Jack arguably should have all of them but he hasn’t. Outside of a world championship fight, the rematch is one that definitely makes sense.”
