Jack Catterall is refusing to rely on Devin Haney’s willingness to fight him after watching Haney dethrone Brian Norman Jnr as the WBO welterweight champion.
Haney won a world title in a third weight division when becoming the first to defeat Norman Jnr, having knocked him down in the second round and earned a unanimous decision at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
Aged 27 in victory, Haney established himself as the world’s leading welterweight, and the 32-year-old Catterall, having a week earlier stopped his fellow Englishman Ekow Essuman, expects to move into contention to challenge him by being moved up to first in the rankings of the WBO.
Catterall, regardless, is aware of the risks of relying on sanctioning bodies and defending champions to deliver for him, having perceived himself to have been let down when pursuing Josh Taylor from a similar position at 140lbs.
With the WBC champion Mario Barrios apparently committed to fighting Ryan Garcia he is also happy to target the IBF titlist Lewis Crocker – who is also promoted by Matchroom – and he is similarly tempted by the prospect of challenging Rolando Romero, who holds the title of the WBA.
It was potentially telling that Conor Benn, another welterweight promoted by Matchroom, was ringside in Riyadh with Eddie Hearn and has since spoken of also wanting to fight Haney, and asked if Haney was someone he intended on raising with their promoter, Catterall, 32, told BoxingScene: “I’ve gotta have the conversation. I don’t think Haney’s gonna pick me as a voluntary defence; whether they pick Conor or not, that’s down to their discussions, but certainly for myself, I’ll be pushing for that fight. I’ll be pushing for a fight with any of the champions.
“We’ve got Lewis Crocker, under the same promotional company – that’s a fight I’d love – [Rolando] ‘Rolly’ Romero, Devin Haney, they’re the top three picks to be targeting for 2026.
“I’d like to be out first quarter of ’26. There’s no reason [I can’t] – I came through the [Essuman] fight unscathed. I’m back in the gym ticking over, so I’ll be in a good place come the new year to ramp it up, get straight out to America, and get something scheduled.
“I thought [Haney] boxed well. He had [Norman Jnr] hurt early. He didn’t really squeeze it, but Norman – I thought it was a good performance. He did what he needed to do. It wasn’t over exciting, but I can appreciate the boxing and the skills. It was a job well done for Haney.
“It did surprise me a little bit, because obviously we know he’s not a massive puncher. I was quite surprised. I thought he’d maybe have gone for it a little bit more after that, but he did what he needed to do.
“I thought he looked well. He didn’t look out of place at welterweight. I didn’t read into it too much.
“It didn’t matter for me who won. It was about the WBO title. I’m led to believe that I’ll be put at number one after this weekend. I know that was a mandatory defence for Norman, but I’m confident that things will move and I’ll get me shot at the WBO title.
“My confidence lies with the WBO. I’ve got a good relationship with them. I was mandatory for one of their [junior-welterweight] belts for quite some years a few years back, and more than anything it’s about the world-title fight, so if Haney’s got other plans, and that doesn’t fall into fighting with me, then we’ll have to look at the other champions.”
Catterall’s victory over Essuman, on the undercard of the rematch between Chris Eubank Jnr and Conor Benn, came in his first fight since recruiting the Philadelphia-based Derek “Bozy” Ennis to be his new trainer.
In committing to the American he left behind in Chorley, England his new-born son, and since returning home upon beating Essuman he has had the chance to again spend time with his family and, particularly, the youngest of two.
“It’s been so nice,” he said. “Boxing’s so unforgiving – it doesn’t care about anybody. But boxing’s given me a good life – you’ve got to make these sacrifices. It was a hard decision, but one I’ve come to with me wife and me family. Baby was eight days’ old; having left for seven or eight weeks I’ve come back; had me fight.
“I took a gamble. I was with the same team for pushing eight years, so it was a big gamble but it paid off; I won the fight; felt good; it’s so nice this week just to be back doing the school runs, changing nappies, and back with the family.”
