Arnold Barboza Jr. wants a shot at WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney, using his previous win over Jack Catterall to make his case for the fight.
Catterall has recently been linked to Haney after his team accepted a proposed fight. Barboza sees an opening for himself, particularly after beating Catterall by split decision last year.
“I want that fight,” Barboza Jr. said to Fighthype about Haney. “I thought it was possibly going to happen. I remember I’m next in line. I talked to Catterall, like, ‘Hey, I asked you for a rematch. You don’t want to fight.’”
The interviewer reminded Barboza that he had already beaten Catterall.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying, bro,” Barboza Jr. replied. “But I told him I offered him to get him, you know, his rematch. He didn’t want it.”
Their fight took place on February 15, 2025, in Manchester, England. Barboza won the 12-round contest by split decision, with two judges scoring it 115-113 in his favor. The third had Catterall winning 115-113.
Three months later, Barboza challenged Teofimo Lopez for the WBO light welterweight title at Times Square in New York. Lopez won a unanimous decision, sending Barboza toward a move to 147 pounds.
A March victory over Kenneth Sims Jr. gave Barboza his first win as a welterweight. His attention has since turned toward Haney, who captured the WBO title from Brian Norman Jr. last November.
Catterall is chasing the same champion, creating an obvious point of contention for Barboza. Their previous result gives him something concrete to use in making his case.
Barboza beat Catterall once. He says he was willing to give him the opportunity to erase that loss, but Catterall chose not to take it.
