The in-demand rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall seems to be carrying a curse.
Taylor successfully defended his super-lightweight undisputed championship against the underdog from Chorley in February of 2022. Despite the split decision victory, most in the sport felt Catterall should have left the arena with the belts.
There was uproar in the aftermath, with some fans branding it the worst judging in a high profile fight for a long time. Promoter Ben Shalom said he was ’embarrassed’ and one judge involved had his professional status with the British Boxing Board of Control downgraded.
Because of the outcry, Taylor decided to put a move up in weight on hold and rematch Catterall in order to show that he was the deserved winner on the night. In doing so, he had to vacate belts and now only holds the WBO.
After almost a year of no official announcement, a trainer change for Taylor, and plenty of opportunities missed for both men, the rematch was finally scheduled for March 4 in Glasgow.
Unfortunately, ESPN’s Mike Coppinger is now reporting that it will be delayed further – a foot injury to the Scottish champion being the reason.
Josh Taylor has suffered a torn plantar fascia (arch of foot) and his March 4 junior welterweight title rematch with Jack Catterall has been postponed, sources tell ESPN. Yet another postponement for this snakebitten fight. Timetable for recovery anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks.
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) January 21, 2023
Coppinger reports that the torn plantar fascia’s healing time is between six and twelve weeks, giving Taylor a long stretch at the sidelines before he resumes training.
We expect an official announcement from BOXXER and Top Rank soon as to the postponement of the event in Glasgow, or at least the fight that was due to top the bill, and a timeframe for rescheduling.
The further delay will sum up a largely frustrating year for both fighters, Catterall keen to get another shot at a title he feels that should already be around his waist, and Taylor because it’s yet another delay to his welterweight dreams.