Jack Catterall has agreed a step-aside deal to allow Josh Taylor and Jose Ramirez to box for the undisputed world super lightweight title.
Catterall is the longstanding WBO mandatory contender and had told he would get his shot at Ramirez, the WBO and WBC champion, next.
But Frank Warren, Catterall’s promoter, said a deal had been agreed that would see Taylor, the WBA and IBF champion, face Ramirez next for al four titles, with Catterall getting a shot at the winner.
“The unification will go ahead, subject to the winner fighting Jack, so Jack can fight for all those belts,” Warren said.
“I fancy Josh Taylor to beat Ramirez and, of he does, him and Jack, what a fight that will be in this country.
“He wants to fight for the title, he was pressing hard for it. But he has to look at the bigger picture. And the bigger picture is it does make sense because there will be all the belts on the line.”
Warren, who was speaking on BT Sport during the telecast of Liam Williams and Andrew Robinson, said that he doubted that the third fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder would go ahead this year and he
“Tyson has been training solidly since February and he wants to fight this year,” Warren said. “My concern is Tyson’s welfare, well-being and I will deliver what he wants. So he will fight this year, whatever happens. Contractual commitments are what they are, but contracts don’t go on forever. So if the fight cannot be delivered during the contractual period, Tyson will move on and maybe revisit it another time.
“What matters to me and the people around him is doing what Tyson wants to do.”
Warren also confirmed that Anthony Yarde will face Lyndon Arthur at the Royal Albert Hall on December 5, a bill that will mark Warren’s 40th anniversary as a promoter.
Ron Lewis is a senior writer for Boxing Scene. He was Boxing Correspondent for The Times, where he worked from 2001-2019 - covering four Olympic Games and numerous world title fights across the globe. He has written about boxing for a wide variety of publications worldwide since the 1980s.