Former champion Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall are set to face off in a rematch that many consider unnecessary. The event, scheduled for April 27th, will be available for streaming on DAZN and ESPN+. It remains to be seen if American fans will show interest in this past-its-prime rematch. The decision to go forward with this fight seems misguided and could have been avoided by the promoters.
The rematch between Taylor and Catterall has lost its appeal. Most agree that this bout should have taken place in 2022, right after Taylor’s controversial victory in Glasgow, Scotland. However, fans have little interest in seeing these two fighters go at it again. Taylor’s relevance has diminished, and Catterall’s ranking has suffered due to his loss and the emergence of more talented contenders.
Catterall’s choices in opponents since his defeat have not helped his case. He has faced weak opposition, defeating Darragh Foley and a 38-year-old Jorge Linares. These are not the type of opponents that would solidify his position at the top of the division. Putting Catterall against fighters like Gary Antuanne Russell, Jamaine Ortiz, or Teofimo Lopez would likely result in losses for him. The same goes for Josh Taylor. More skilled fighters have surpassed them in the rankings.
The overall effect is that the Taylor-Catterall rematch is pointless and ill-advised for the promoters. However, since they need to do something with these two fighters, it makes sense to match them up against each other. It’s difficult to find suitable opponents at 140 without risking their rankings or chances at world titles.
In the eyes of the boxing world, this fight is seen as more of a local-level matchup rather than a world-class event. Taylor, at 33 years old, has only fought once in the last two years and was thoroughly beaten by Teofimo Lopez in a one-sided 12-round decision. The memories of that defeat still linger, and it’s clear that Taylor is past his prime.
Catterall, on the other hand, is still bitter about his loss to Taylor in 2022. That defeat cost him the opportunity to become the undisputed 140-lb champion. However, even if Catterall had won that fight, it’s likely that he would have been dethroned by other talented fighters like Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, Gary Antuanne Russell, and Arnold Barboza Jr.
In conclusion, the Taylor-Catterall rematch lacks significance and is not viewed as a world-class fight. The promoters have few options for these fighters, and putting them against each other seems like the only viable choice. However, it’s clear that both fighters are on the decline and would struggle against more talented opponents in the division.
According to the Source boxingnews24.com