Highly Anticipated Boxing Rematch: Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall
On Saturday, in Leeds, England, fans will witness a highly anticipated boxing rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall. Two years after their controversial first encounter, where Taylor emerged as the victor in a debated decision, Catterall has been installed as the favorite to even the score this weekend.
“History has shown that justice doesn’t always prevail in rematches following contentious decisions.”
Jeff Fenech’s 1991 draw against Azumah Nelson is a prime example. Fenech, who was undefeated and on the cusp of becoming a four-division world champion, was left stunned by the judges’ ruling. “It wasn’t close. Judges ruined my career. I’ll punch them in the face and then they’ll know what it’s like,” he later commented.
The rematch in 1992 saw Nelson, the betting underdog, fight aggressively and ultimately retain his title via an eighth-round stoppage. Similarly, Lennox Lewis seemed to outbox Evander Holyfield in their first meeting in 1999, only for the judges to rule it a draw. Lewis was again the better fighter in the November rematch, and this time the judges awarded him the unanimous decision victory and the world heavyweight crown.
Marvin Hagler’s case against Vito Antuofermo in 1979 and 1981 also demonstrates that justice doesn’t always prevail. In their first encounter, Hagler appeared to have done enough to win, but the judges ruled it a draw. Hagler would later become champion and face Antuofermo again, this time stopping him in the fourth round.
The Gennady Golovkin-Saul “Canelo” Alvarez rivalry also featured controversial decisions. While the consensus after their first fight in 2017 was that Golovkin deserved the victory, the judges ruled it a draw. The rematch a year later saw Alvarez narrowly edge Golovkin on a majority decision.
In the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder trilogy, the first fight’s draw was considered contentious, but Fury left no doubt in the rematch, demolishing Wilder in seven rounds. Manny Pacquiao’s split-decision loss to Timothy Bradley Jr. in 2012 was also widely criticized, but Pacquiao reclaimed his title in the 2014 rematch.
Ultimately, while boxing rematches can provide opportunities for justice, they don’t always deliver the expected outcome. Fans will be eager to see if Catterall can dethrone Taylor in their second meeting and rectify the controversial first decision.
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