Josh Taylor: record, next fight and profile →
Josh Taylor stuck around at junior welterweight to satisfy an overdue mandatory title defense obligation. At least one more challenger is waiting in the wings, hoping that the unbeaten, undisputed champion will remain at the weight for at least one more fight.
Undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor has reacted to the widespread criticism regarding the scoring of his mandatory defense against Jack Catterall, which took place last Saturday night in Glasgow.
Frank Warren says he does not want British officials in charge of the Tyson Fury’s heavyweight title fight against Dillian Whyte in the wake of the controversy surrounding the Josh Taylor’s win over Jack Catterall.
Josh Taylor came into the weekend riding one of the best waves in boxing, winning the World Boxing Super Series before finishing unification at Jr. welterweight last year with a commanding performance against Jose Ramirez.
Josh Taylor might move up from the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds to the welterweight division for his next fight. Even if he decides to defend his IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 140-pound championships again, the fully unified, undefeated champion doesn’t see a reason why he should fight Jack Catterall a second time. England’s Catterall gave Taylor the toughest fight of his pro career in their 12-rounder Saturday night in Glasgow, Scotland, but Taylor won a controversial split decision at The OVO Hydro.
To say that Jack Catterall is displeased with the outcome of his first world title fight would be an understatement. The previously unbeaten mandatory challenger came up just short in a questionable split decision in favor of undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor (19-0, 13KOs). Catterall (20-1, 13KOs) won on the card of Howard Foster (113-112), only for Victor Loughlin (113-112) and Ian John Lewis (114-111) to rule in favor of Scotland’s Taylor in their WBA/WBC/IBF/WBO championship Saturday evening at OVO Hydro in Glasgow.
Josh Taylor was lucky to have walked away with undisputed junior welterweight championship, but Jack Catterall made his case. Taylor retained his crown by split decision (114-111, 113-112, 112-113) in front of a raucous, sold-out crowd of 12,101 partisan supporters Saturday evening at OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland.
Taylor, Catterall Fight Photos Gallery - Glasgow, Scotland - For the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF junior welterweight titles, Josh Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) had to overcome the first knockdown of his career to win a razor-close twelve round split decision over mandatory challenger Jack Catterall (26-1, 13 KOs). (photos by Lawrence Lustig, Mikey Williams)
Josh Taylor averaged 6.1 landed punches per round while Jack Catterall averaged 10 punches landed per round. Catterall landed 39 jabs over 12 rounds to Taylor’s 16 jabs. Catterall landed 81 power punches, and Taylor landed 57.
Taylor, Catterall Official Scorecards - Glasgow, Scotland - For the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF junior welterweight titles, Josh Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) had to overcome the first knockdown of his career to win a razor-close twelve round split decision over mandatory challenger Jack Catterall (26-1, 13 KOs).