In a reality slightly different to this one, Josh Taylor would currently be campaigning at welterweight with the likes of Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. Instead, the Scotsman is moving towards a rematch with fellow 140 pounder Jack Catterall.
Taylor, currently the Ring and WBO champion, last boxed ‘El Gato’ in February this year. He won a split decision in what would become one of the most controversial results of recent times.
‘The Tartan Tornado’ is in the minority when he says he thinks he won the fight, with promoter Ben Shalom saying in the aftermath that he was “embarrassed” and many fighters taking to social media to voice their shock that Catterall hadn’t had his hand raised.
It was, as it often is, taken too far on social media, with abuse being targeted at the fighter’s family by angered fans.
For Taylor, setting the record straight is the only thing on his mind. Speaking to The Ring Magazine, he reflected on the first fight and why he was perhaps ‘unmotivated.’
“Looking back, I think it’s because I’d just climbed Everest in terms of becoming undisputed world champion. What can I do now to keep achieving, keep climbing, keep chasing these dreams? Let’s move to welterweight and chase a world title at a second weight. I needed to keep the motivation and the hunger.”
“I lost the fire, but I didn’t overlook him. It was just a fight that didn’t get my juices flowing.”
If motivation was the problem back then, it certainly isn’t now. The rematch, which should land on Sky Sports in the UK, is likely to take place before the year’s out. Even without a solid date, Taylor has a vision of what he plans to do when the first bell rings.
“Revisit this, smash him to smithereens. I really want to put a bad, painful beatdown on him. No boxing, no moving around. I’m going to seek and destroy – smash him to bits this time. I will leave no doubt.
After that, we can see what’s happening with the rest of my career. But I’m not thinking about that. All I’m thinking about is doing a demolition job on Jack Catterall.”
All the talk from camps and promoters point to the rematch happening, thus giving Taylor his chance to end the talk once and for all. There will be, however, a man across the ring in Catterall who will feel he has some wrongs to right as well.