The Speaker of the House of Commons has sent a letter to the police regarding the controversial scoring of Josh Taylor’s win against Jack Catterall last month.
Scotland’s Taylor remained unbeaten and retained his status as undisputed super-lightweight champion when he was awarded a split decision victory over his English opponent in Glasgow.
Following the main-event bout at the OVO Hydro on 26 February, the judges scoring the contest have come under scrutiny, with most fans and pundits believing that Catterall had done enough to secure the win and Taylor’s titles.
Instead, the Chorley fighter tasted defeat for the first time as a professional. Howard Foster scored the fight 113-112 to Catterall, but Victor Loughlin opted for 113-112 to Taylor and Ian John-Lewis judged the bout a 114-111 victory for the Scot – the latter scorecard proving the most controversial.
The British Board of Boxing Control said it would investigate the scoring, and Sir Lindsay Hoyle – Speaker of the House of Commons and Catterall’s MP in Chorley – has taken matters into his own hands by referring the judging to the police.
“Everyone is disgusted by what’s happened, it brings the sport into disrepute,” Hoyle told the Daily Mail. “I have to question why the judges got it so wrong. I have already sent a letter to the police.
“I have spoken to Nadine Dorries, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and the Minister for Sport, Nigel Huddleston. They are both looking into this.
“I also believe that something seriously went on here – whether it was undue influence, one must question why.
“Unless something is done about this, why would young people enter the sport? What is the point of training hard and playing by the rules when something like this can happen?”
Hoyle also called for the fight to be “reviewed by independent judges” and “for their independent scoring to be shown”.
“That would allow for a decision to be changed retrospectively,” the 64-year-old added, though it is unclear whether that could happen.
Taylor has expressed an interest in moving up to welterweight, a decision that would likely result in the 31-year-old vacating his super-lightweight titles – potentially opening the door for Catterall to fight for the belts again.
Taylor also said he would be open to a rematch with Catterall, though he insisted that such a contest would need to take place at a catchweight in order to avoid a tough weight-cut to 140lbs.
