Boxing
Josh Taylor says first fight vs. Jack Catterall was 'a stinker' and explains why next one won't be
Watch Taylor vs. Catterall 2 live May 25 on DAZN
Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall's first bout was a heated affair between rivals who don't like each other, but now Taylor admits that he believes their February 2022 fight was sub-par.
Taylor and Catterall squared off for Taylor's undisputed super lightweight title, with the champion prevailing by split decision. The men will meet once again this Saturday, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding U.S. and Canada), and Taylor feels he and his opponent can put on a better show even though there are no belts on the line this time around.
“The last fight was a stinker from both of us," Taylor said at a pre-fight press conference in Leeds, site of Saturday's fight. "Jack was doing a lot of holding and spoiling, slowing the pace down, I was very poor as well.
"I believe the two of us can be a lot better and it will be a better fight for the fans. It’s going to be a barnstormer, we were in the arena on Monday and got a bit of a surprise, it’s right on top of you, so it’s going to be a great experience and atmosphere in there."
Catterall agreed with his foe's sentiment, stating that both fighters "underperformed" in their maiden bout two years ago.
Unsurprisingly, Catterall disagreed with the outcome of that fight and vowed to put on both a better performance and earn a better result this weekend.
“Like Joe [McNally, Taylor's trainer] said, I watched the first fight and I didn’t rate it that much," Catterall said. "I thought I beat him and I thought I did it comfortably.
"I think I underperformed, maybe Josh did as well, but we’ve prepared for the best version of Josh and I think over the last two years I’ve improved as a fighter, I’ve been in the gym, I’ve not stepped out of it, I’ve been learning and developing, taking myself away for sparring.
"I expect a better fight on Saturday. Emotions aside, I think I am the better fighter, and I am going to show that on Saturday night."
Live on DAZN: Taylor vs. Catterall 2 on May 25 (excluding U.S. and Canada). Click here for details.
