Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Fight updates and undercard results as ‘justice’ is served
Re-live one of the most-anticipated rematches in recent memory, as Catterall overcame his rival in Leeds
Jack Catterall banished the shadow of his controversial loss to Josh Taylor by defeating the Scot in a thriller on Saturday.
Over two years after Taylor won a hotly-contested decision against the Englishman in Glasgow, Catterall outboxed a determined Taylor to gain “justice” – as promoter Eddie Hearn described the result.
Catterall avenged the sole loss of his professional career by winning 117-111, 117-111, 116-113 in Leeds. Hearn did suggest that the scorecards were “too wide”, while fellow promoter Bob Arum grabbed a microphone to declare the scores a “disgrace”, but most observers agreed that Catterall was the right winner.
While the rivals’ first clash was a scrappy affair, their rematch produced numerous moments of great quality. Taylor pressed forward throughout, while Catterall fought well behind his jab and put together a number of impressive flurries. Catterall started to pull away as the fight entered its second half, and although a resilient Taylor arrested some momentum, his fellow southpaw produced more crucial moments of quality late on.
Re-live Taylor vs Catterall 2 and see all the fallout, below:
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Round eight
Cully feints some level changes then just about lands a jab upstairs.
Another big swing and a miss by Patera on the right hook. But he lands a tidy cross now! Smarter stuff from the Italian.
Cully comes forward, gently backing up Patera and varying his offence.
Patera seems to be bleeding from around his nose. Blood is trickling down to his mouth.
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Round seven
Cully with a sneaky left hand to the body and a harsh right hook to the head.
Patera is still pressing forward. As in the last round, he’s missing with some reckless swings, but his overall gameplan isn’t a bad one; he’s seemingly trying to fatigue Cully with body shots and pressure, hoping that the Irishman will eventually be more vulnerable to one of those big shots.
Patera connects with a left hook as he backs up Cully to the ropes. And again! Good work.
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Round six
Into the second half of this fight.
Cully bounces around, trying to stay mobile. Patera applies pressure, burrowing hooks into the midriff of Cully – a right and a left.
Cully with a sharp jab and a smart left hook, as Patera walks onto those shots a bit naively. The Italian then wings a right hook and misses; he reallllly loaded up on that punch...
Cully pops back his opponent’s head with a jab. Clever uppercut by the Irishman in close. And a tidy jab from Cully again, as Patera misses with more wild swings.
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Round five
It could well be two rounds apiece.
Patera presses forward and stays active, attacking the body with left hooks. Cully puts his jab to good use.
Now the Irishman adds some hooks – one off each wing – to keep Patera guessing.
Cully loads up on an uppercut but misses the mark, and Patera seizes the opening, landing a hard left hand at point-blank range.
Both men miss in a bit of a scrappy spell. Patera’s output is looking a little sloppy now.
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Round four
Cully’s timing has improved with each round. He’s keeping his lead hand active as well, making life harder for Patera, who walks onto a jab now.
Decent effort by Patera, though, as he backs up Cully and lands a right hook. Cully gets back into space and puts together a couple of combinations, varying his shots nicely.
Lovely cross by Cully! He slipped a straight shot and timed his own very well. Uppercuts and hooks follow.
Strong left hook by Patera, however, and Cully looked like he felt that.
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Round three
We could be looking at 19-19, or 20-18 to Patera in my opinion. Eight more rounds scheduled, including this one.
Another clean cross to the mid-section by the Italian. Cully finds a right hook, curling it around Patera’s guard.
Both men let their hands go in a promising moment for Cully, and the most active spell for the two fighters so far.
Long left hook by Patera, catching Cully at range. Patera is sporting a bit of swelling under his left eye, though.
Step-in jab to the body of Cully, then two left hooks – one to the body, one to the head. Good uppercuts by Cully in response.
Better work from the Irishman overall.
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Round two
Cully’s coach admits that the “Diva” might have lost that round.
Decent right hook by Cully, but there’s not much venom on it. Patera replies with greater volume, targeting the body then head.
Patera times a jab nicely, stinging Cully somewhat. Cully looks to fire back with straight shots, but Patera’s guard is largely holding up.
Cully with some good headshots now – straights and hooks – as Patera slows down slightly.
Lovely flurry from Cully! He starts at the body and finishes with a quick right hook to the head. Better from the Irishman, good speed there.
Hard cross to the body by Patera to end the round.
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Round one
Cully stands southpaw, Patera is orthodox. Patera presses forward, while Cully peppers his guard with jabs.
Cully adds some extra shots now, including teasing lead hooks around the guard. Nothing too powerful from the Irishman yet.
We get a bit of grappling and fighting at close range. The boxers separate, and Patera unloads big shots as Cully covers up against the ropes before circling away.
Head feints from Cully now, but Patera isn’t biting. The Italian eventually skips forward, though, before letting his hands go again. Left hook to the body by Patera, then a right cross.
Decent parry by Cully, but Patera digs into the body again at close range.
Cully is being a little too reactive. He’s already sporting some redness around his left eye.
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall LIVE: Gary Cully vs Francesco Patera
Right, then! Here we go. Irish lightweight Gary Cully boxes Francesco Patera.
Cully (17-1, 10 KOs) is a highly-rated talent at 28, but he had to bounce back in November after suffering his first pro loss in May.
On the undercard of Katie Taylor’s rematch win over Chantelle Cameron in Dublin, Cully beat Reece Mould on the scorecards to get back on track.
Next up for him is 31-year-old Patera (29-4, 11 KOs). Patera is Italian but fights out of Belgium.
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