PERHAPS the only thing worse than the decision made after Jack Catterall’s super-lightweight title fight with Josh Taylor in Glasgow in 2022 was that Catterall would have had to opt for a return to the wild rather than receive an immediate and well-deserved rematch.

By wilderness I mean undiscovered, of course, and even that is relative. After all, Catterall managed two good wins over Darragh Foley and Jorge Linares between his ‘loss’ to Josh Taylor and his revenge two and a half years later. But given what happened, Catterall getting nominated to fight Taylor the first time out – taking the Scot’s world title in the process – it’s only natural that Catterall’s career has taken a leisurely turn so far.

That’s why the news of his next fight, set to take place on August 24 against Regis Prograis, has been so well-received and celebrated in some quarters. Coming up against Prograis just three months after beating Taylor in their comeback, suggests that Catterall, 29-1(13), has not only moved on from his great rival, but is now looking to finally build on the momentum of his recent defeat.

“That chapter with Josh is over. It’s a modern chapter,” he said. “I was in a great position before the first fight, number one with the WBO, but I was on the shelf for too long. I think we understand that the division is wide open now. There’s no direct shot at a world title, but I didn’t want to wait until the end of the year or early next year to get back in the ring, hoping to fight for a world title.

“I want the biggest fights. I think Regis said it; outside of the world titles, this is the biggest fight in the division. I had the momentum; you (Eddie Hearn) kept me going, which I’m grateful for. I’m in a great position and I don’t want to sit on the sidelines waiting for fights that might not happen. I’ve got to go in while I’ve got the momentum.”

Being busy is one thing, but making progress in the right direction is another. Here, against Prograis, Catterall faces the kind of opponent he will face at this stage of his 12-year professional career.

“Regis is a two-time world champion looking to become a third,” he said. “I know the winner of this fight is in a great position to go on and fight for a world title. This fight excites me; I’m excited. It’s not far from where I live (in Manchester), this Co-op Live arena. I’ve got everything to gain from this fight.

“I’ve been watching Regis for four or five years. I was at the Taylor fight in 2019. I watched him box in Dubai and I was in San Francisco in December, so I’ve seen him and I know what he’s all about. He’s a tough fighter and he deserves it – he’s a two-time world champion. I know exactly what’s in front of me and I’m working demanding.”

If Catterall is about building momentum and striking while the iron is heated, for Prograis it’s more about rediscovering momentum and finding out if he still has something to offer at this level. Prograis, now 35, was coming off a decision loss to Devin Haney, the then WBC super lightweight champion, and on that night he looked a shadow of his former self, albeit in the company of a world-class cameraman.

“We were supposed to fight a few years ago but it never happened, so here we are,” Prograis, 29-2 (24), said of Catterall. “I think it’s the best time. I definitely have to win. I have a goal now. Every time I win the belt, I just don’t care. Now I have a goal again. I want to be a three-time world champion and that’s the man I have to beat. Catterall is one of the biggest names in the division right now. The 140-pound division is filled now and this is the biggest fight they can have without putting the belt on the line. I’m ready to do it again in front of the crazy British fans.”

Regis Prograis hits the pads

Erika Cruz was stripped of her title.

The two-time WBA 122-pound champion was stripped of her title at WBA after a positive drug test in connection with her last fight. A sample taken on April 29 and tested on May 7 showed the stanozolol metabolites 16b-hydroxystanozolol, 3′-hydroxystanozolol and furosemide. The results were discovered eleven days after her ten-round draw with Nazarena Romero on May 11 in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Cruz (17-2-1, 3 KOs) has yet to appear before the Comision de Box Aguascalientes, the presiding body in the fight. The draw verdict remains intact, though it is a matter of dispute even if it is changed to a no-decision. Romero (13-0-2, 7 KOs) will get another shot at the now-vacant title.

At the time the drug test results were released, Cruz’s team told The Ring they planned to fully cooperate with the investigation. A second “A” sample tested on May 31 yielded similar results, which Cruz was informed of on June 5.

Cruz had until June 20 to request testing of her “B” samples. That step was never taken, prompting the WBA to take action.

The samples are stored in WADA-accredited labs for up to 180 days, the length of her current WBA suspension. The sanctioning body has threatened to add another six months to the end of that period if she fails to witness the “B” sample testing procedure.

Cruz is still eligible to fight during that period, pending a ruling from a real boxing commission. The sanctioning bodies only reserve the right to refuse to sanction title fights or elimination bouts.

The ruling ends her second title run after just one invalid defense.

Cruz won the belt in a 10-round decision over Mayerlin Rivas (17-5-3, 11 KOs) last November in Inglewood, California. It came just nine months after her narrow loss to Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) in their memorable undisputed featherweight title fight in February 2023. The loss ended Cruz’s long stint as WBA featherweight champion.

Meanwhile, Cruz’s final two opponents will be fighting for the WBA 122-pound title.

Romero was ordered to face Rivas in a rematch of their June 2023 meeting. Their fight for the WBA junior featherweight title ended in a technical draw at the end of the fifth round. Romero suffered a cut from a clash of heads that was deemed too severe to continue.

Since then, Rivas’ only fight has been the aforementioned loss to Cruz.

Romero-Rivas was ordered to appear by October 20.

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This Saturday, undefeated rising star Shakur Stevenson will return to his hometown of Newark, Modern Jersey to defend his WBC lightweight title against Artem Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KOs) at the Prudential Center.

The 12-round fight is the main event for Top Rank on ESPN’s card. But an even bigger battle is looming — the battle for the rights to Stevenson’s future fights. The three-division world champion, arguably the best neat boxer in the sport, will finalize his deal with Top Rank on Saturday, taking part in the final fight of his contract with them.

Entering his prime at the age of 27 and with a plethora of potential large fights in the future, there’s no shortage of promotions and platforms eager to join forces with Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs). The question is: who has the best chance of securing his services?

Making money with Matchroom

Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn has made no secret of his desire to sign Stevenson. “I think Shakur is, without a weight class, one of the best fighters in the world,” he told FightHub TV. “He may be unbeatable — he may be. He’s that good. But I think he’s come up huge. I think he’s a great fighter. I think he’d be a fantastic addition to the Matchroom team, and if he’s available, we’ll definitely talk. Whether it works for both of us, we’ll see.”

The last sentence is key. Hearn will likely have to meet the high guarantees of future prize money for Stevenson. And to get a return on his investment, he needs to put up a large fight for the slippery left-hander. That could prove to be a problem in a fragmented sport, compounded by the various promotions patrolling the 135- and 140-pound weight classes. Nevertheless, Hearn’s sturdy words suggest the British outfit will be aggressive in its efforts.

America first with Premier Boxing Champions

Stevenson and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) seem like a natural fit. The talented American lightweight is on the verge of stardom, and PBC consistently puts on the biggest boxing events in the U.S. Not to mention the appeal of a fight with undefeated WBA 135-pound champion and boxing star Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

Davis says Stevenson will be one of his opponents in the recent long-term deal he signed with PBC. Stevenson isn’t sold. “I don’t know when I’m in that deal,” he told FightHype. “You don’t know what kind of fight it is. Let’s just say I’ll make a decision based on what he just said. In his six or seven fights, I could be sixth on that list.” Still, the Davis fight is Stevenson’s biggest. In addition, potential PBC fights with Isaac Cruz, Frank Martin and Alberto Puello are enticing.

Riyadh’s Season in Jersey

Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority, is making a stern foray into boxing. Alalshikh’s first U.S. appearance is Aug. 3, headlined by TIsrail Madrimov-Terence “Bud” Crawford. Crawford, by the way, is as close to Stevenson as plugs are to electrical outlets. Stevenson could follow in his friend’s footsteps and team up with Alalshikh. It’s a win-win situation, because the fighter gets the guarantee he wants, and Alalshikh gets a adolescent fighter with crossover potential—a sensible move if his proposed boxing league comes to fruition.

Stevenson remains reserved. “I wish Bud and everybody the best in this situation,” he told FightHype. “I don’t know anything about it, so I can’t really comment on it… I wouldn’t mind being in some shit like [the boxing league] if that makes sense.”

Back to the Future with Top Rank

Relations between Top Rank and Stevenson have become frosty. In an interview with Cigar Talk last month, Bob Arum said of Stevenson: “I talked to Eddie Hearn… and Eddie said, ‘I’m not paying him the money you’re paying him.’ And I don’t think [Premier Boxing Champions Founder] Al Haymon wants to sign more players… so Shakur is between a rock and a strenuous place… if nothing better comes up he’ll come back to us.”

Arum also suggested that Stevenson’s inability to win large fights was because he wasn’t a “large draw.” That’s not necessarily going to make Stevenson want to get back into Arum’s arms, but there’s a reason they call boxing “the theater of the unexpected.”

While those platforms are the most likely to land Stevenson, Mayweather Promotions could prove to be a wild card. Floyd Mayweather did his best to try and sign Stevenson after he won silver at the 2016 Olympics. Don’t be surprised if he tries again. Of course, Stevenson’s performance on Saturday night could be a factor. Often criticized for his businesslike approach in the ring, Stevenson has promised to be more aggressive with Harutyunyan. That could raise the stakes in what will likely be a stern bidding war — assuming, of course, he’s willing to sign another promotional deal.