On The Watch “It’s All About Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall 2”

Junior Welterweight Showdown

The highly awaited rematch between Former Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion Josh Taylor (19-2, 13 Kos) and Jack Catterall (29-1, 13 Kos) took a couple of years to get here but with tonight’s final result at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, it was well worth it.

Although no titles were on the line this time around, Jack treated this revenge match like his life depended on it. This bout was personal for both warriors considering their previous encounter was highly controversial.

The built-up anger that Jack retained from their previous showdown was quite evident by the way he pressed the action from round to round. Jack basically picked up the action from their last meeting and kept that intolerable feeling at Josh’s neck keeping him from getting into any type of a flow inside that squared circle.

Throughout the many struggles that Josh was dealing with inside that squared circle he still managed to stand his ground and bang toe-to-toe with Catterall. Both combatants had their moments exchanging heavy leather with serious battle wounds to show for it but this time around, Jack made sure he was the one with the eye-catching shots to help sway the Judges.

After 12 full completed rounds of action, the Judges at hand called it 117-111, 117-111, 116-113 unanimously for Jack Catterall. Although this bout was a lot closer than the score card suggest, I personally agree with the overall outcome.

With this credible win now under his belt, Jack believes that a title opportunity against the WBO Junior Welterweight Champion Teofimo Lopez (20-1, 13 Kos) is warranted but after Josh Taylor’s promoter Bob Arum’s outburst of disappointment after the scorecards were revealed, I can’t see Bob gifting Jack that much meriting opportunity any time soon.

I’m not sure what is to come next for Jack but until then, congratulations on a very good win.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Josh Taylor vs Teofimo Lopez”

WBO Junior Welterweight Challenge

Last night’s Top Rank/ESPN Main Event showdown between WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Champion Josh Taylor (19-1, 13 Kos) and Challenger Teofimo Lopez (19-1, 13 Kos) at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, was a “Takeover” well executed by Teofimo.

There was a lot of trash talking from both combatants throughout the build-up but when the time came, it was Lopez who surprisingly backed up his words inside that squared circle.

Taylor came out the gate real aggressive with bad intentions on his mind but it was Lopez’s well executed “game plan” and ring generalship that controlled the rounds from that point on.

Lopez impressed me last night and came into this bout laser focussed and stayed on track. Josh had absolutely nothing to deter Teofimo from having his way inside that squared circle. As the rounds progressed, Teofimo’s confidence grew round by round.

Lopez showed completely no fear to the man across from him. Taylor, who was naturally the bigger, longer and stronger man inside that squared circle, in my eyes, could not land anything significant enough to win rounds. Taylor’s usual dominance was non-existent and was easily outworked by the younger and driven warrior in Teofimo.

There are levels to this boxing sh*t and after 12 fully completed rounds of action the Judges at hand called it 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113 unanimously for Teofimo Lopez, the New WBO and Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Champion of the World and now a two-weight Division Champion.

Well done, Teofimo. You defied the odds and silenced the critics who doubted you. You dominated the night and clearly defeated the former Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion to now becoming the “Top Dogg” of 140-Pound Division.

Who’s next?

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall”

IBF/WBC/WBA/WBO Undisputed Junior Welterweight Challenge

Tonight’s Undisputed Junior Welterweight Title defense between IBF/WBC/WBA/WBO and Ring Magazine Champion Josh Taylor (19-0, 13 Kos) and mandatory challenger Jack Catterall (26-1, 13 Kos) at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland was a straight up ROBBERY to the challenger hands down.

No disrespect to the Champion Josh Taylor who brought it tonight and fought a tough bout but truth be told, Jack came in and defeated the Champion convincingly after 12 full rounds of action but unfortunately got robbed by the Judges on his biggest night inside that squared circle.

Jack came out the gate with confidence and the right “game plan” which was executed perfectly. Standing his ground round after round boxing beautifully while asserting himself as the better man throughout the entire bout and dropping Josh in the 8th round clearly putting Josh in the deficit by then.

Personally, I thought Josh looked weight drained and struggled to assert himself throughout the bout and looked desperate as the rounds progressed. Although the referee deducted a point in round 10 from Catterall, Jack was still comfortably in the lead in my eyes with the higher work rate and punch connection going his way.

That being said, this bout was very entertaining and clearly surpassed the expectation that most people anticipated considering everybody thought this was going to be a cake walk for Taylor. After 12 full rounds of non-stop action the Judges scored it 113-112 for Catterall, 114-111 for Taylor, and 113-112 for Taylor giving him the spit decision win. Unbelievable!

I’m sorry, I’m a big fan of Josh Taylor but tonight homeboy clearly lost this bout hands down.
Jack put his paws all over him and fought a great fight and clearly deserved the win. This was another case of a straight up ROBBERY!! Real talk!

Jack did everything right and fought his heart out to secure the win but, in the end, got ROBBED by the Judges at hand. These three Judges should be barred from ever judging a sanction bout again. Real Talk!

Tonight, we should be celebrating the coronation of a new Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion in Jack Catterall but instead the home grown Champion Josh Taylor reaped the benefits and retained his controversial Undisputed Crown.

These are the types of outcomes that gives Boxing a bad reputation.

Just my thoughts.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Josh Taylor vs Jose Ramirez”

Junior Welterweight Unification Championship

Last night’s Main Event at the Virgin Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada between Junior Welterweight IBF/WBA/Ring Magazine Champion Josh Taylor (18-0, 13 Kos) and Junior Welterweight WBC/WBO Champion Jose Ramirez (26-1, 17 Kos), lived up to the hype.

I gotta tip my “B” hat to Josh for walking it like he talked it. Dude is a bad man inside that squared circle. His confidence never waivers inside or outside the ring. He’s an exceptional boxer with a high boxing IQ that benefited him well in last night’s Unification clash with Jose.

Jose fought well and stood his ground and asserted himself when it got rough, aside from a few lapses that eventually cost him dearly. Both combatants went blow for blow dropping heavy bombs, at times making the rounds entertaining and hard to score.

As close as the rounds were, Josh separated himself when he scored a knockdown in the sixth round and the seventh round. Both knockdowns were sharp and right on the money and clearly hurt Jose, but Ramirez’s strong will to compete carried him to stay competitive throughout the later rounds.

After 12 full rounds of action all three Judges scored it unanimously 114-112 in Josh Taylor’s favor. Jose definitely had his moments but those two knockdowns had sealed his fate.

With this convincing win, Josh collected the WBC/WBO Belts and retained his IBF/WBA/Ring Magazine Championship Belts to now becoming the Undisputed Junior Welterweight Champion of the World. Josh has officially cemented his name in the record books by joining such a prestigious man club that houses the names of Terence Crawford, Oeksandr Usyk, Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor and now Josh Taylor as the only five fully unified Champions in any Division during boxing’s four-belt era. Not bad company for the New Champ.

Further congratulations to Josh on also becoming the first Scottish fighter to don all 4 Major Sanctioning Belts in any Division. You deserve all accolades earned Champ. Job well done.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Regis Prograis vs Josh Taylor”

World Boxing Super Series Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Final

Tonight’s World Boxing Super Series Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Finals at the O2 Arena in London between WBA Super-Lightweight World Champion & WBC Diamond Champion Regis Prograis (24-1, 20 Kos) and IBF Super-Lightweight World Champion Josh Taylor (16-0, 13 Kos), came down to the wire.

This bout was a back and forth tussle from the jump with both fighters trying to assert themselves round by round while working their respective “game plan” and each looking for that advantage.

Taylor came to fight tonight and he wasn’t about to let this big opportunity pass him by. Regis, on the other hand, started a little slower and in doing so, to me, kept the fight a lot closer than it should have been. The visiting fighter Regis, should have kept his foot on the peddle and kept that pressure coming by being busier round by round.

That being said, this bout was a strategic chess match with both fighters performing at a very high level of boxing IQ with neither fighter backing down.

As damn close as this bout was, to the Judges’ eyes they scored it 115-113, 117-112 and 114-114 in favor of Taylor. Josh backed his trash talking by keeping his IBF Super-Lightweight Title and picking up the WBA Super-Lightweight World Championship Belt, the vacant Super-Lightweight Ring Magazine Belt and the prestigious Ali Trophy.

By defeating the No. 1 seeded Regis Prograis and collecting all that hardware, Josh has officially captured the No. 1 Spot in the Super-Lightweight Division. Next on the hit list is a unification bout with WBC/WBO Super-Lightweight Champion Jose Ramirez (25-0, 17 Kos) to decide the Undisputed Champion in the 140-pound Division.

Until then Josh, congratulations on your latest accomplishments. The road to undisputed is on the horizon .

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Regis Prograis vs Josh Taylor”

World Boxing Super Series Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Final

It has officially been announced that the World Boxing Super Series Super-Lightweight Ali Trophy Final between WBA Super-Lightweight World Champion & WBC Diamond Champion Regis Prograis (24-0, 20 Kos) and IBF Super-Lightweight World Champion & WBC Silver Champion Josh Taylor (15-0, 13 Kos), will be taking place on Saturday night October 26, 2019 at the O2 Arena in London.

Depending on who you’re asking, these two right here might just be the two best Super-Lightweights in the Division today. Real Talk! Regis entered the WBSS Tournament as the No. 1 seed while Josh entered as the No. 2 seed. Both undefeated with no shortage of confidence from either combatant.

This showdown is a sure shot banger with major fireworks on the horizon when these two Dudes touch gloves inside that squared circle. There is a lot at stake here: a unification bout, undefeated records, the vacant Ring Magazine Super-Lightweight Championship and above all the prestigious Ali Trophy.

The winner of this World Boxing Super Series Super-Lightweight Tournament will stand to be the clear-cut No.1 in the 140-pound Division and one step closer at Undisputed. Both warriors can clearly see the benefits ahead and are determined and driven to come out on top but there can only be one true victor.

Both have talked the talk but all the slick and greasy trash talking doesn’t win fights, however, gloving them up inside that squared circle does. Now let’s see who can back it up under the bright lights. Tune in live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US. Saturday October 26, 2019, at the O2 Arena.

Blaze