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Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall 2 – Large Fight Preview and Predictions

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Taylor beat Catterall with a controversial split decision in February 2022 Photo Credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images

Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall are working through their injuries in Saturday's second leg in Leeds.  Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall are working through their injuries in Saturday’s second leg in Leeds. Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

The long-awaited rematch will be the main event promoted by Matchroom this Saturday night, as super lightweight rivals Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall fight it out again over twelve rounds at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

Live coverage of the Taylor vs. Catterall match DAZN worldwide and on ESPN+ in the US.

This is a far cry from their original meeting, however, as Taylor (19-1, 13 KO) entered the February 2022 clash with Catterall (28-1, 13 KO) holding all four major belts at 140 pounds.

The Scot became the IBF world champion in the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series in 2019, and in the final he defeated Regis Prograis and won the WBA “super” crown and the Muhammad Ali trophy.

After a routine defense, “The Tartan Tornado” secured his legacy as the undisputed champion, defeating Jose Ramirez twice and earning minor points while adding the WBC and WBO belts.

Taylor defeated Catterall by controversial split decision in February 2022. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images
Taylor defeated Catterall by controversial split decision in February 2022. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images

Catterall was waiting in the wings as a WBO mandatory fighter and when he got his chance in Glasgow, many didn’t give him a chance.

It was a tough fight, but the guy dropped Taylor in the eighth and it looked like he had done enough to win, but the judges thought otherwise and awarded the 33-year-old the split decision victory.

There was no immediate rematch because Chorley man made a bid to defeat Darragh Foley in May 2023, with Taylor losing all but the WBO belts due to various obligations he could not fulfill, with that belt and his undefeated record going to Teofimo Lopez, who won a unanimous decision in Fresh York in June last year.

Catterall was last eliminated in October 2023, easily winning on the cards against a faded Jorge Linares. This fight has been discussed and postponed several times, with the April date being rescheduled for this one due to Taylor’s injury.

Clarke-Zorro fight for the British belt

The vacant British cruiserweight title hangs in the balance as Cheavon Clarke faces Ellis Zorro.

Clarke (8-0, 6 KO) is fresh off an impressive fourth-round stoppage of Tommy McCarthy in January, while Zorro (17-1, 7 KO) has taken on a gigantic challenge in the form of IBF world champion Jai Opetai of Saudi Arabia Arabia and was blown out in the middle of the round.

Clarke retained McCarthy in January.  Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Clarke retained McCarthy in January. Photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Cully argues with Patera

An intriguing fight will take place in the lightweight division, where Gary Cully (17-1, 10 KO) will be able to continue his comeback after a shocking defeat to Jose Felix last year, scoring points against former European champion Francesco Patera (29-4, 11 KO) ).

Donovan fights Ritson

Another tester should see that the talented Paddy Donovan (13-0, 10 KO) will remain undefeated and that the Irishman can get a win on the schedule against Lewis Ritson (23-3, 13 KO), who is in his heaviest ever weight class, and was stopped in the ninth round by Ohara Davies in his last fight last March.

Undercard remaining

The only fighter in the eighth round is a middleweight, and George Liddard (6-0, 3 KO) may remove Graham McCormack (9-3-1, 1 KO) from the fight before the final bell.

In six rounds, Emmanuel Buttigieg (3-0, 1 KO) can win by stoppage against Anas Isarti (4-2) in the super welterweight and super featherweight divisions Giorgio Visioli (2-0, 2 KO) can do the same in his match against Sergio Obadai (6-3-1, 3 KO).

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UK Boxing

Tyson Fury sends an ominous warning to Oleksandr Usyk

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Tyson Fury has promised to send Oleksandr Usyk into retirement on Saturday Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Tyson Fury vowed to hurt Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday's rematch. Photo: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry
Tyson Fury vowed to hurt Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday’s rematch. Photo: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry

Tyson Fury vowed to “seriously hurt” him in Saturday’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury is for revenge first defeat his professional career when he meets Usyk at the Kingdom Arena in Riyad, seven months after he was dropped by split decision at the same venue.

“The Gypsy King” has put in a solemn performance throughout the build-up and continued that attitude during Wednesday’s public training session.

The 36-year-old put on his gloves, greeted the audience and took off his gloves without landing a single blow on his pads.

The Briton, who is generally in a cheerful mood, revealed little in the interview DAZN then, but sent his rival a dire warning.

Tyson Fury promised to send Oleksandr Usyk into retirement on Saturday. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Tyson Fury promised to send Oleksandr Usyk into retirement on Saturday. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

“A lot of pain.

“Smash and destroy.

“A lot of pain, solemn hurt.”

Fury, who is aiming to become a three-time world heavyweight champion, held a training camp in Malta ahead of the rematch and earlier this week claimed he had not had contact with his wife Paris for three months.

Usyk secured the undisputed heavyweight title in May but vacated the IBF belt to secure a rematch, while Daniel Dubois, who arrived in Riyadh earlier this week, was elevated to full champion after winning the interim title.

If the fighter from Morecambe exacts revenge, according to Fury’s British promoter, Frank Warren, a third fight with the Ukrainian has already been contracted.

However, Fury promised a victory so comprehensive that the 37-year-old would never fight again.

“I will definitely make him feel 37 years vintage,” Fury said Queensberry Promotions.

– He’ll be there with the Gypsy King, not whoever I was last time.

“I feel very good and I can’t wait for Saturday’s fight.

Usyk performed brilliantly, defeating Fury in the first fight. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Usyk performed brilliantly, defeating Fury in the first fight. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

“I’m going to end him, end his career.

“You will never hear from Oleksandr Usyk again after this.”

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UK Boxing

Referee Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk has always played a controversial role

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Roberto Ramirez Jnr has been appointed referee for the highly anticipated rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, and his past has been controversial.

The two heavyweight titans will clash again next weekend, with the “Gypsy King” looking to settle the score following his first professional loss to the Ukrainian in May in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.

However, main center Ramirez Jnr, who will be overseeing the fight, has been embroiled in controversy before. Last year he officiated Chantelle Cameron’s high-profile rematch with Katie Taylor, in which Cameron became the first to defeat the Irish star before losing in the next fight. After the match, Cameron’s coach Jamie Moore criticized Ramirez Jnr, blaming him for Cameron’s defeat.

“She’s clearly devastated, you can imagine,” Moore revealed to BBC 5 Live Boxing. “She just feels like this whole scenario was set up for her to lose. In a way, we were determined to prove everyone wrong, just like we did last time. But last time she got away with it. I’m not saying, “First of all, I just want to say that from what I watched, it was a close fight that could have gone either way.”

“We were denied a knockdown in the first round, which should have happened. The knockdown is 100% justified. Before the fight, I was begging the referee in the locker room, please, she got away with it last time, holding tight. My athlete’s best work is close. Please don’t let her hold you like last time. And he let her do worse this time than last time. After securing victory, brawler Bray became the undisputed world champion in two weight classes.

Cameron herself later expressed doubts about the referee’s choice for their rematch with Taylor, speaking to BBC Radio Northampton: ‘It wasn’t just me and Katie in that ring. If that were the case, I would have accepted defeat and said I had won the better women that night. I had everything against me. The referee that night… it was such a high level fight, why would you hire a referee no one had heard of. It’s not my job, it’s my job, it’s my job to fight, don’t look at who’s refereeing, I’m just frustrated – if I could go back, I’d make sure everything was taken into account.

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UK Boxing

Eddie Hearn turns heads in Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 pick

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Tyson Fury has promised to send Oleksandr Usyk into retirement on Saturday Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

Eddie Hearn has picked Tyson Fury to win his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk after initially siding with the Ukrainian team. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing/Top Rank
Eddie Hearn has picked Tyson Fury to win his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk after initially siding with the Ukrainian team. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing/Top Rank

Eddie Hearn has changed his mind about the outcome of Saturday’s rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.

Hearn will be a guest pundit on Riyad’s DAZN broadcast as Fury looks to exact revenge on Usyk, seven months after losing his undefeated record to the Ukrainian in the same arena via split decision.

The Matchroom boss initially sided with Usyk and secured his second victory in a row over “The Gypsy King”.

“I think it’s demanding for anyone to pick Tyson Fury to win the fight with balance,” Hearn said. talkSPORT.

“I think it will be an incredibly close fight. I think the last one was too.

Tyson Fury promised to send Oleksandr Usyk into retirement on Saturday. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Tyson Fury promised to send Oleksandr Usyk into retirement on Saturday. Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

“But I think given what we saw from Usyk in the first fight, his ability to absorb information, I think he’s very complex to put.

“I want Fury to win, I think he can win.

“I think he will have to do something extraordinary that we have seen before.

“But I think with common sense it is very complex not to choose Oleksandr Usyk in this fight.”

Fury took a disastrous ninth round to a eternal eight count before reaching the final bell and earlier this week vowed to end the 37-year-old’s career, although his promoter Frank Warren insists a third fight will be booked if he emerges victorious.

However, Hearn has now changed his mind and is backing his compatriot to seek revenge for the only loss of his professional career.

“I expect another really close fight on Saturday,” said the 45-year-old Boxing in the match room.

“I choose Tyson Fury for many reasons.

“I just have a sneaky feeling.”

Hearn will be present on the DAZN broadcast of the Usyk vs Fury 2 match. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Hearn will be present on the DAZN broadcast of the Usyk vs Fury 2 match. Photo: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

“You start focusing on your pre-fight preparations.

“I saw these things yesterday [at the grand arrivals].

“I thought he looked very relaxed.

“Usyk talks really cocky, really different.

“I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but I’m going with Tyson Fury and Tyson Fury on points.”

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