By Vince D’Writer: Light-welterweight contender Jack Catterall wants another opportunity to fight for a world title, and on Saturday, October 21st, Catterall kept his title hopes alive as he defeated Jorge Linares (47-9, 29 KOs) at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England.
With the victory, Jack Catterall’s name remains relevant in the deeply talented 140-pound division. As for Jorge Linares, he came into the fight in desperate need of a win, but his latest defeat could persuade the 38-year-old to make a tough career decision.
Jorge Linares is a former three-division world champion who had signature moments in two high-profile losses. Back in May 2018, he scored a knockdown against Vasiliy Lomachenko in Round 6 of their fight, and in May 2021, Linares landed a punch in Round 10 that had Devin Haney on wobbled legs.
Jorge Linares is a very accomplished boxer, but going into his October 21st bout, he was the loser of three fights in a row. The former champion was hoping he could get his career back on track by pulling off an upset over the 140-pound contender.
Back in February 2022, Jack Catterall had his shot at all of the belts when he faced the then-undisputed light-welterweight champion Josh Taylor. Catterall scored a knockdown in the eighth, but he would go on to lose by way of a controversial split decision.
A year later, Catterall would return to the ring and put on a boxing clinic as he defeated Darragh Foley by way of unanimous decision. On the night of October 21st, Catterall was ready to make a statement against a former three-division champion.
In the opening round, both boxers went through the motions of the typical feeling-out process. In the final minute of the first round, the southpaw Catterall landed a solid left, but Linares responded by landing the one-two combination.
In the second round, Linares was pressing forward, fighting off the front foot, while Catterall stood his ground, feinting and pawing with the jab as he looked for an opening to land the left hand. During rounds three and four, Jack Catterall was getting into a rhythm as he was controlling the distance, landing the jab and the left hand.
The action in the bout picked up when Catterall started the fifth round by landing a couple of combinations. In the closing seconds of Round 5, Catterall landed a left that stunned Linares. After seeing the damage caused by the left hand, Catterall proceeded to press forward and land a flurry of shots.
Catterall looked very comfortable in the sixth as he was fighting off the back foot, changing levels with the jab, and landing the left hand. Linares landed a right hand in Round 7, and he was trying to sustain offense, but Catterall was doing a good job of eluding punches by turning his shoulder and rolling underneath.
In the eighth round of the bout, Catterall continued to control the distance and dictate the pace of the fight. He closed out the eighth round by landing a flurry of shots. The fight was very technical, and it was never in doubt as Catterall cruised to a unanimous decision victory by the scores of 117-111, 116-112, and 116-112.
Jack Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) got the win, but he didn’t get it in impressive fashion. Catterall is a skilled and patient safety-first type of fighter. He wanted to make a statement against Linares, but it doesn’t seem like he did enough to be a candidate for the Prograis-Haney winner.
Instead of a world title shot, the most realistic option for Jack Catterall could be a chance at vindication. It is very possible that in the near future, Jack Catterall will finally get his rematch with the former 140-pound undisputed world champion Josh Taylor.
