Jack Catterall Defeats Josh Taylor in Leeds Classic

Clarke KOs Zorro to Win British Cruiserweight Honors

After 27 months of anticipation, Jack “El Gato” Catterall finally achieved his long-awaited victory. Catterall defeated Josh Taylor by unanimous decision in their 12-round junior welterweight main event on Saturday at First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.

This bout was notably more exciting for fans compared to their first encounter, which Taylor narrowly won by split decision, retaining his undisputed junior welterweight title. The rematch was also tightly contested, but Catterall emerged victorious with scores of 117-111 (twice) and 116-113.

“It’s bittersweet tonight. No world titles. I won the fight. We can close that chapter with Josh Taylor,” Catterall reflected. “Listen, I believe I won the fight. I took more risks this time. Josh is an elite operator, a former undisputed world champion. We knew we were up against it, but I went through the gears, boxed with my smarts, and even in the second half of the fight, the rounds that I was more reserved, I was controlling the pace and wasn’t getting hit with big punches. And I was landing clean.”

Taylor acknowledged Catterall’s performance, saying, “I thought it was a great fight. Fair play to Jack. He was a better fighter than the first fight. But, listen, I thought I just nicked the fight, to be fair.”

Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) took the initiative in the early rounds, utilizing a sharp jab and precise left hands to keep Taylor (19-2, 13 KOs) at bay. In round five, a left hand from Catterall almost sent Taylor over the ropes. Taylor made a strong comeback in the seventh round, delivering powerful body shots to Catterall’s midsection.

As Taylor seemed to regain momentum, Catterall stunned him with a counter left hand in the 11th round. The final round was a close contest, but Catterall had already secured enough points on the scorecards. Following their controversial February 2022 fight, Catterall had balanced the rivalry—one victory each.

Taylor suggested a potential third fight, stating, “If he wants to go and challenge for bigger fights, he deserves it. But it’s one apiece, so let’s do it. Let’s do a trilogy.”

Other results from the event include:

Lightweight: Gary Cully (18-1, 10 KOs) UD 10 Francesco Patera (29-5, 11 KOs), Scores: 98-92 and 96-94 (twice).

Cruiserweight: Cheavon Clarke (9-0, 7 KOs) KO 8 Ellis Zorro (17-2, 7 KOs), 2:59. Clarke wins the British Cruiserweight Title.

Welterweight: Paddy Donovan (14-0, 11 KOs) TKO 9 Lewis Ritson (23-4, 13 KOs), 0:32.