Jack Catterall is a boxer who, despite his lack of a world title, has plenty of stong options for himself to pick and choose from.
The IBF recently confirmed that the Lancashire based Catterall recently withdrew from pursebids proceedings which would have seen Catterall contest a final eliminator for the IBF super-lighteweight world title against Richardson Hitchins.
The IBF had previously twice postponed the Catterall and Hitchins purse bids due to the former's handlers negotiating with bitter domestic rival, Josh Taylor.
Now that ambition to fight Taylor is Catterall’s main ambition for 2024.
In a recent interview with IFLTV, Catterall explained why he prefers a rematch with Taylor, over a possible final-eliminator with Hitchins.
He also claimed he has accepted an offer for the rematch, stating a domestic fight with Taylor supersedes any scenario against Hitchins.
“We’re almost three weeks into January now,” Catterall told IFL TV on Saturday.
“After the last fight in October [a points victory over Jorge Linares], I was told from me promoters, from me manager that we was going to make the Taylor fight. I was in a position a couple weeks ago when an offer was made for the fight, and I accepted, which ultimately meant that Hitchins fight was not on the table.
“For me, [a rematch with Taylor] is a much bigger fight, a personal fight, and a fight which I believe he’s accepted as well. So, going down the route of the IBF, although I was grateful for the opportunity, right now this is a much bigger fight for me.”
ProBox TV spoke to Catterall earlier in January insisting that it is now or never for a highly anticipated rematch to take place, after the last bout — which Taylor won in February, 2022 — split the boxing community.
Taylor, then undisputed 140-pound champion, claimed a controversial split decision victory on points in Glasgow, Scotland.
Catterall dropped Taylor in the eighth round, but the Scot hung on to his title by the narrowest of margins despite the referee docking a point in the 11th round.
