Josh Taylor Gave Up WBA, WBC Titles To Get Jack Catterall Rematch

Josh Taylor said he’s done everything he can to get a rematch with Jack Catterall.

That includes skipping WBA mandatory challenger Alberto Puello and WBC mandatory opponent Jose Zepeda. As a result, Taylor relinquished his WBA and WBC straps, making him only a unified junior welterweight champion – not undisputed champion.

“I was going to have to fight Jose Zepeda in August or September and that just isn’t possible with the wedding only being a few weeks ago. There’s no way I’m prepared to go into a fight not being in the best shape,” Taylor told the Edinburgh News.

“But the reason I’m also doing this is to get the Catterall fight. It’s a chance to shut people up and show that I am still the best in the division.

“There’s nothing stopping this fight happening now. I’ve done everything I can to make it happen so it’s now over to Jack. But I won’t wait around for him.”

Taylor and Catterall first met back in February where Taylor won a controversial 12-round split decision. Taylor was dropped for the first time in his career in this bout.

Many fans thought Catterall had done enough to upset the Scottish boxer, but the judges saw it differently as the majority of the scorecards leaned in favor of Taylor.

The results caused an uproar in the boxing community – even going as far as WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury publicly saying that he did not want any British judges for his mandatory defense against Dillian Whyte in April.

An investigation into the fight was launched, which led to judge Ian John-Lewis being demoted by the British Boxing Board of Control. No other decision seemed to have come out of the investigation.

Also after Taylor’s win, Catterall called for an immediate rematch.

Neither boxer has fought since then.