An agitated-looking Josh Taylor almost started the brawl today with Jack Catterall when the two fighters stood face-to-face for their kick-off press conference for their rematch on April 27th at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.
Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs), who appeared to be itching for a fight from the get-go, stabbed Catterall in the chest while pointing at him in a threatening manner. Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) wasn’t going to take it lying down and then grabbed the former undisputed light welterweight champion Taylor by the throat and was then shoved violently.
Barriers May Be Needed
Man, if this kind of junk is going to keep happening with all the face-offs between Taylor and Catterall, they’re going to need a special barrier to keep the two from getting at each other and creating bloodshed.
It looked to this writer that the 33-year-old Taylor started the mess, as he seemed like he was spoiling for a fight and didn’t look like he was going to take no for an answer.
Taylor’s Anger: Still Simmering
Obviously, the ‘Tartan Tornado’ Taylor is still bitter beyond belief about the boxing fans believing he was gifted a decision win in his fight against Catterall in February 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Taylor has likely been stewing all this time in his own broth, replaying the image of what happened that night when Catterall took him to school in front of his own Scottish fans.
Then, in the aftermath, virtually everyone viewed Taylor as the loser of that match. In hindsight, it would have been better for Taylor’s piece of mind if the judges had given the victory for Catterall since he wouldn’t have had to deal with being seen as an underserving winner of that contest.
When a fighter is given a controversial win, it’s torture for them because they have to live with it. Still shaken from that episode, Taylor is left battling widespread negative perception and a hunger for redemption that could backfire with this level of hostility.
The Rematch: Explosive Potential
If today’s face-off is a preview of things to come, boxing fans may expect further explosive altercations in the lead-up to their official return to the ring on April 27th. Whether Taylor is driven by genuine anger or calculated showmanship, this fiery rivalry promises to deliver in and out of the ring.
