Jack Catterall has revealed talks have begun about a rematch with former undisputed super lightweight champion of the world, Josh Taylor, with a catchweight bout being a potential option.
Taylor defeated Catterall in controversial circumstances in February of last year with the Scot being awarded the win by split decision despite most observers deeming the Englishman had done enough to have edged it.
As soon as the final bell rang in Glasgow that night, talks of a rematch were ignited but nothing has materialised in the 21 months since that contentious victory for Taylor.
However, Catterall has revealed that talks about finalising a rematch have begun, although they’re in the early stages.
"The Josh Taylor fight is one the fans want and obviously it would be nice for me to put it to bed.
"He’s constantly known as the guy who robbed me of the fight and I’m the guy who has been robbed and the fans still talk about it, so it would be nice to make that fight, and I believe it can happen," the 30-year-old Englishman said.
"I believe they are in discussions right now. Matchroom have been speaking with Top Rank so there is an ongoing discussion. I’m not sure how far they are with the negotiation, but it is something we are entertaining for the moment, although we are not going to put all our eggs in that one fight.
"But the fans want it and it will be a big domestic fight the fans will love but in a couple of weeks we know what direction we will be going in.”
Since that narrow victory against Catterall there has been much speculation that Taylor will move up a weight category to welterweight but Catterall, speaking with Betway, has touted the possibility of the pair clashing at a catchweight of 143lbs rather than the 140lb weight limit required for super lightweight.
“Everything is up for discussion. I’ve been making 140lbs for my whole career and make it well enough. I believe Josh does too but that’s one of his excuses," he said.
"I’m open to 142lbs or 143lbs and we can certainly factor that in and get the deal done.
"Josh finds himself in a funny situation. He finds himself asking whether he moves up to 147lbs and have a go up there but we know a defeat in his next fight – you question what options does he have, and does he want that defeat to come from me? We will see.”
Taylor suffered his first defeat as a professional fighter in June, losing to Teofimo Lopez in what was the Scot's second consecutive below-par, by his standards, performance.
And watching that defeat to Lopez was enough for Catterall to conclude that Taylor is past his best as a fighter.
“Josh has been an elite fighter," he said.
"But I believe I beat him and Teofimo beat him. I do think he beats a lot of the guys on the domestic scene but as far as performing at elite level, you would have to say he has slid down a little bit."
Jack Catterall was speaking with Betway: https://betway.com/en/sports/cat/boxing
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