Hearn Praises Taylor’s Achievements Ahead of Rematch with Catterall
Ahead of the highly anticipated rematch between Scotland’s Josh Taylor and England’s Jack Catterall this Saturday, renowned boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has expressed his admiration for Taylor’s accomplishments, despite being Catterall’s main domestic rival.
In their initial clash in February 2022 in Glasgow, the contest was marred by point deductions for both fighters, leading to a controversial split decision victory for Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs). Many believed Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) had done enough to dethrone Taylor as the undisputed 140-pound champion, including a knockdown in the eighth round.
“I think Josh, given his achievements, hasn’t really got the credit he deserves,” Hearn said. “Maybe that’s because he’s Scottish.”
In 2021, Taylor traveled to Las Vegas with his WBA and IBF world junior welterweight titles to challenge Catterall, the WBC and WBO titleholder, in an undisputed title fight. Delivering a near-flawless performance and showcasing his grit and determination, the Scotsman became the first British fighter in the four-belt era to achieve undisputed status.
Hearn attributed this sentiment to the long-standing rivalry between England and Scotland, stating that Taylor is arguably Scotland’s greatest fighter, alongside the legendary Ken Buchanan. “We know he’s very well-respected in Scotland and arguably the best fighter ever from Scotland, with Ken Buchanan,” Hearn said. “But we don’t have a tendency as English to really get behind Scottish sportsmen and athletes, probably like we should.”
Despite his praise for Taylor’s accomplishments, which Hearn described as “quite incredible” and deserving of being considered “one of the all-time greats – Scottish, British, whatever you want to call it,” the promoter acknowledged that these accolades will count for nothing when Taylor steps into the ring against Catterall this Saturday night. “Respect his achievements, but they all go out the window on Saturday,” Hearn concluded.
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