Author: djblaze

Junior Welterweight Challenge

Tonight’s Matchroom/DAZN Main Event between WBO International Junior Welterweight Champion Jack “El Gato” Catterall (30-2, 13 Kos) and WBO Intercontinental Junior Welterweight Champion Arnold Barboza Jr. (32-0, 11 Kos), was an interesting bout where both combatants had to get creative with their approach inside that squared circle at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.

This was a chess like match where both combatants had their moments as the rounds progressed. Being the away fighter, Barboza had no choice but to stay active with his hands but Catterall stood his ground and exchanged leather for leather as best he could.

You could see both combatants struggling to get an edge on one another as each looked equally matched inside that squared circle making it harder to call round by round. It was a very calculative type bout where every mistake made cost the opponent dearly.

Both combatants had their share of telling punches being thrown but as the championship rounds rolled out it was becoming clearer to the eye that Barboza was the one putting in that extra push to secure the defining rounds.

That being said, after 12 full rounds of action one Judge scored it 115-113 for Catterall while the other two Judges scored it 115-113 for Barboza giving him the split decision win and the right to claim the vacant WBO Interim Junior Welterweight Title.

It was a tight competitive bout from start to finish but I personally think the right man won on the night. With this win now secured by Barboza an official mandatory position has now been set to challenge for the full WBO World Junior Welterweight Title held by Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 Kos).

That said, will Teofimo accept the challenge? Only time will tell.

Until then, congratulations Arnold on another great win.

Blaze