How much gasoline does Josh Taylor have left in his tank as we approach Saturday’s long-due rematch? Add to the fact Josh is coming off his only pro loss of his career to Teofimo Lopez.
Adding another layer the bout being fought at junior welterweight, equates to the odds stacked against the Scotland native. It wasn’t the prettiest of prizefights between Jack Catterall and Josh Taylor. At times it was slow and sloppy but it was very close. Who will come out on top in this main event rematch streaming live on DAZN?
Neither boxer has been active since their split decision result back in early 2022. The edge could be given to Jack Catterall for fighting twice in 2023. One could also point out Jack’s competition was nowhere near the likes of Teofimo Lopez, especially on a good day, which it was for Teo that June night. The biggest sticking point for this boxing podcaster is the weight. For so long, we’ve heard how Josh Taylor cannot make the 140-pound limit, so don’t be shocked if you hear about a late-installed catchweight of sorts come Friday.
On the surface, it would appear that Josh Taylor is the more talented boxer, yet he sure didn’t show it in their first meeting. Catterall’s left hand was a key weapon for him, and he eventually scored a knockdown in the 8th round. Jack used a snappy jab along with their left hand, landing on the head and body to contain Taylor for the most part. He also used a poor man’s shoulder roll defense in spots to fend off Taylor’s offense, many times while on or near the ropes. The two kept tying up on the inside but it was Jack timing Taylor which disrupted Josh’s rhythm for a large part of the contest.
Taylor also kept leaning over and up close on the inside, and he ended up paying the price for it when Jack landed two left hands. One grazed Taylor, but the second one landed near the temple, dropping Josh to the canvas. Taylor didn’t even land 100 punches in the fight, throwing a little over 300 to Jack’s 120 landed punches and more actively throwing 525. Catterall more than doubled Josh on jabs landed and thrown, bodywork being the only advantage for Taylor. Both men had points deducted, Taylor for hitting after the bell and Catterall for holding.
Josh Taylor has expressed fear of not getting a fair shake from the officials on fight night. Whether that amounts to anything in reality has yet to be seen. This rematch could come down to Jack having Josh’s number. Like many boxers, after losing for the first time, Josh changed trainers. Taylor also believes he has changed his regiment enough to make the junior welterweight class once again. Taylor is the underdog, ranging from +112 to +130. This boxing junkie is hesitant to throw much down on the fight because of the over-the-hill vibe coming from Taylor’s last two outings. Josh only fighting for the second time in over two years is very concerning.
To be fair, it’s not like we should have a ton of confidence in Jack. This is a tough one to call and regardless of the style matchup has a high level of intrigue written all over it. Look for it to be a somewhat similar fight to the first one, with Josh Taylor being effective enough to make slight adjustments to pull it off. +126 on mybookie is too high to pass up, in my humble opinion. If you feel the same and think it goes the distance, Josh Taylor, by decision, is +246. Let’s hope for another two-way fight with more action this time around.
My Official Prediction is Josh Taylor by Majority-Decision.
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Written by Chris Carlson, Host/Producer of The Rope A Dope Radio Podcast Available at www.blogtalkradio.com/ropeadoperadio Follow on Twitter @RopeADopeRadio