BoxingScene.com has learned that a date and venue have finally been agreed for Josh Taylor (19-1, 13 KO’s) and Jack Catterall (28-1, 13 KO’s) to reignite their rivalry.
As long as there are no last minute hitches, the bitter rivals will renew hostilities at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on April 27th.
Sources told BoxingScene that Catterall has signed his end of the deal and that Taylor’s signature is the only thing holding up an official announcement.
The two have been embroiled in a bitter war of words since February 2022 when they met in Glasgow for Taylor’s undisputed super lightweight title.
Catterall appeared to outbox Taylor for long periods but the gritty Scotsman got off the floor in the eighth round and clung on to his titles via a disputed split decision. The decision caused outrage and the two have been at loggerheads since.
Taylor relinquished his WBC, IBF and WBA belts due to pending mandatory orders – and then lost his WBO super lightweight title to a resurgent Teofimo Lopez in a mostly one-sided encounter in New York City last June.
Catterall has boxed twice since. He beat Darragh Foley last May and then comfortably outpointed Venezuelan veteran Jorge Linares in Liverpol last October.