On The Watch ”It’s All About Jack Catterall vs Arnold Barboza Jr.”

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

On The Watch “It’s All About Derek Chisora vs Otto Wallin”

IBF World Heavyweight Title Eliminator

In last night’s Queensberry Promotions/TNT Sports Main Event, Derek Chisora (36-13, 23 Kos) kept his old train going by defeating Otto Wallin (27-3, 15 Kos) in what was billed to be the British fighter’s final showdown in the United Kingdom at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.

I didn’t know what to expect in this bout last night but the fans in attendance were not disappointed by Chisora’s labouring but entertaining performance.

41-year-old Chisora may have looked his age inside that squared circle but he brought that “WAR” ready mentality to the ring to deal with Wallin who surprisingly fought in a timid manner round by round. Chisora brought that “HEAT” with a labouring, aggressive style that was good enough to trouble Wallin who for some reason didn’t have the right “game plan” to deter the old man from having his way with him.

Although Wallin wasn’t able to deter Chisora for most of the rounds he did manage to damage and cut Chisora’s right eye which threatened the outcome of the bout. The ringside doctor had a look at it and allowed the fight to continue but that cut was a real concern throughout the remainder of the bout.

With his vision now impaired Chisora continued his aggression and finally landed a nice overhand right hand to the chin in the ninth round that stumbled Wallin down for a standing 8 count.

With the ninth round tucked in his back pocket Chisora looked rejuvenated and continued his assault in the championship rounds and was motivated by the crowd cheering him up. With his face covered in blood and the clock running out in the twelfth round Chisora looking fatigued, connected with a heavy right hand to Wallin’s dome that dropped him for the second time for another standing 8 count that ended the bout at the bell.

After 12 labouring but exciting rounds of action, the Judges at hand scored it 117-109,116-110 and 114-112 unanimously for Derek Chisora.

Chisora has been defying the odds in his last few fights as of late and for that I tip my “B” hat to the man for doing whatever it takes to get the job done.

That being said, I’m not sure what version of Chisora we’re going to see at his 50th and final bout but until then congratulations Chisora on another memorable performance.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Jack Catterall vs Regis Prograis”

Junior Welterweight Showdown

Tonight’s Matchroom/DAZN Main Event between Jack Catterall (30-1, 13 Kos) and former two-time Junior Welterweight Champion Regis Prograis (29-3, 24 Kos) was a statement bout that both fighters needed in order to move forward but on this night at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, Catterall prevailed.

Catterall was in a fight tonight and got dropped for the first time in his career to date in the fifth round but got up and continued to gain momentum as the rounds progressed. At that point, both combatants had their highs and lows throughout the rounds but Catterall kept his cool and picked his spots just right to even the score.

The ninth round was a game changer for Catterall who dropped Prograis twice in the round and abused him from that point on. Prograis’ defense and stamina looked shaky and he failed to even out the score with his lack of action in the later rounds. Knowing he was heavily down on the score cards Regis should have pressed the action but Jack stayed ahead of the game and made things hard for Prograis simply by moving around where Prograis was unable to land anything significant enough to do damage.

After 12 full rounds of action the Judges at hand scored it 117-108, 116-109 and 116-109 unanimously for Jack Catterall.

With this convincing win now under his belt Jack picked up the vacant WBO International Junior Welterweight Title positioning himself one step closer to a possible opportunity at the full Championship Title being held by Teofimo Lopez (21-1- 13 Kos).

Jack is deserving of this opportunity especially after defeating two highly ranked former champions in Josh Taylor and now Regis Prograis in back-to-back wins but only time will tell if the opportunity will be granted to him.

Until then, congratulations Jack on a very impressive win.

Blaze