Jack Catterall and Josh Taylor had a minor altercation today during their second press conference to promote their rematch on April 27th in their light welterweight clash at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.
Playground Taunts
Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) walked up to Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) and attempted to hand him a set of children’s color markers. Catterall slapped Taylor’s hand away without accepting the gift. It was a good thing that the teams prevented anything like yesterday’s altercation, where Catterall grabbed Taylor around the throat during their face-off.
It’s a pity that these two fighters can’t be trusted to be in each other’s presence without looking to attack on sight because it means we might not get any more face-offs between them in press conferences and at the weigh-in.
No Excuses: Weight is Set
“We wanted it at 140, but that was not condition of the deal. We went into these negotiations thinking that 142 or 143 was going to be the weight,” said Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing on the rematch between Jack Catterall and Josh Taylor on April 27th in Leeds.
“Josh talked about moving up, but he feels 140 is the right weight for him if he’s got the time to do it, which he has. So, no excuses. He called it on at 140, and that’s where he feels he’s at his best,” Hearn continued.
“He’s a brilliant fighter. He won all those belts, and you can never take that away from him,” said Tony Bellew about Josh Taylor becoming undisputed champion in 2021. “He entered the Super Six tournament, and he won it.
Bellew Calls for Closure
“He’s under a dark cloud because of his reaction to the Jack Catterall fight, and that’s harsh. He could have handled it a little bit better. Neither of these fighters can let their careers progress without facing each other. They’ve got to come face to face and put this to bed.
“They both need each other to put this to bed and that’s where we’re at. Ultimately, on April 27th, hopefully, this feud ends,” said Bellew.