Strictly Business Boxing
Strictly Business Boxing

Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall Rematch Postponed!

(March 14th) Josh Taylor has suffered an injury in his training camp and his upcoming fight with Jack Catterall on April 27 has been postponed. The fight has been immediately rescheduled for May 25th at the same venue in Leeds - live on DAZN.

 

Tickets remain valid for the revised date with refunds for the sold-out event at the First Direct Arena also available, in line with the terms and conditions of our ticket agency partners.

 

Peter McGrail’s rematch with Ja’Rico O’Quinn will now take place on April 27 at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool. Full details for this NXTGEN event will be announced by Matchroom in due course.

Blockbuster Taylor vs Catterall Rematch

Sells Out In One Day!

(February 23rd) The highly anticipated rematch between bitter rivals Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall taking place at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday April 27, shown live on DAZN in the UK and around the world and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S., has sold out in less than a day after going on sale to the general public at midday.

 

The fierce rivals reignited their feud at two fiery press conferences in Edinburgh and Manchester earlier this week before concluding their busy press tour in the Capital on Wednesday, filming an unmissable Face Off - to be released on the DAZN and Matchroom Boxing YouTube platforms soon - and trading verbal blows on talkSPORT's White and Jordan show.

 

Taylor and Catterall have been embroiled in a heated war of words since February 2022 when they met on an unforgettable night at The OVO Hydro Arena in Glasgow for Taylor’s Undisputed Super-Lightweight World Title.

 

Intense debate has raged in the aftermath of their first fight, when Scotland’s Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) protected his unbeaten record with a hugely controversial split decision points win to retain his then-Undisputed Super-Lightweight crown.

 

During a pulsating battle, Taylor was cut twice by the left eye and was put down by Catterall in the 8th round before he was deducted one point in the 11th for punching after the bell. Catterall, meanwhile, was deducted one point for holding in the 10th.

 

Chorley’s ‘El Gato’ (28-1, 13 KOs) appeared to outbox Taylor for long periods but ultimately tasted defeat for the first time in his career after Taylor clung onto his titles. The decision caused outrage among some boxing fans and the two have been at loggerheads ever since.

 

“I’m so grateful for all of the support," said Catterall. "I appreciate all the fans spending their hard-earned money to see me beat Josh Taylor on April 27 in Leeds. I know what lies ahead of me. As much as we have the press conferences and the weigh-in, I have a job to do on April 27. I’m preparing for the best of Josh Taylor, so when I beat him and do it convincingly, I can move on with my career. Josh, you are finished after this fight. In nine weeks' time, we get to put him to bed."

 

Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn added: “What an incredible response for an unmissable all-British grudge match. The First Direct Arena in Leeds is completely sold out. The controversy of the first fight will be settled in an unbelievable night on April 27, live and exclusive on DAZN in the UK and around the world, part of your subscription on the global home of boxing."

 

Venue: First Direct Arena, Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Promoter: Eddie Hearn - Matchroom Boxing

Matchmaker: Tom Dallas

Media: DAZN

 

An announcement on ticket details and full card to be announced soon.

Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall 2

Manchester Presser!

(February 20th) In the second leg of the Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall II the two combatants face off again this time in Manchester.

 

Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman: "Welcome to Manchester for part two of a slightly lively press conference ahead of the British fight of the year, the rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall, April 27 in Leeds. We have a night that you are not going to forget.

 

"The controversy of the first fight will be settled in an unbelievable night live and exclusive on DAZN around the world, part of your subscription on the global home of boxing."

 

Josh Taylor: "I’m looking forward to getting this fight done. The first one is done, he couldn’t beat me the first time and he certainly won't beat me this time, so I’m looking forward to it.

 

"It’s been a long two years coming. We tried to get the fight done straight away and it never happened, the mandatory then came in. But we’re here now, there’s no point in keeping on talking about what happened, we’re going to settle the score on April 27.You need to have a word with your man, that’s three times he’s tried to put his hands on me, he’s meant to be a professional athlete. Keep your hands to yourself you little rat.

 

"It is must-win, it’s a crossroads fight for us both, when I beat him this time again, he’s got nowhere to go. His biggest night is me and when I beat him again, he’ll have nowhere to go and he’ll retire without a prime, with no belts and he’ll never be a World champion.

 

"You’re in the wrong game if you don’t believe in yourself, so of course he’ll think that, but he’s never knocked anyone out in his life, not anyone credible.

 

"On April 27, I end Jack Catterall’s career, one that he never got going, and he’ll never be a World champion."

 

Joe McNally: "I’m 100 per cent confident in Josh. the first fight was a cracker and I just hope that we get the opportunity for Josh to showcase his skills, Jack with his counter-punching and we have the right official, so there’s no holding and clinching and they let the fight flow. If we get that, we’ll get a good fight and we’ll be in for a good night.

 

"We’re in professional boxing, small gloves, anyone can be knocked out, but Jack isn’t a knockout puncher and that’s a fact. He couldn’t get an old, shot Jorge Linares out of there, so to think he’s going to get Josh out of there? Not a chance. I just hope he performs and he’s ready because he’s with a fantastic team, because Josh will be ready, may the best man win and we’re really confident.

 

"There were a few things that needed addressing in the camp with Teofimo, I personally think we shouldn’t have gone ahead with the fight off the injury that he had. But it was one of those fights that a round here or there, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now, he’d be fighting a Devin Haney or Gervonta Davis. We never got the decision so we’re sitting here because of Josh, not Jack, that’s a fact. I’m excited for it and to go into this one all guns blazing."

 

Tom Grant: "This is what it’s about, these domestic dust-up are what the fans come out for. All that matters is what happens on April 27 now, and that is that Josh Taylor is going to beat Jack Catterall on April 27 and all these people are going to struggle watching it."

 

Jack Catterall: "I want to thank everybody that has come out today. It’s an exciting fights, it gets the juices flowing, it’s been talked about for the last two years and it’s the same for Josh, everyone always asking when the rematch is, so it’s good to have the rematch locked in, and I’m ready to settle it.

 

"You know what it is, they’ve said it’s the England vs. Scotland heritage, but it’s more of me just fighting a pr*ck. He’s just not a nice person. That’s it.

 

"I know what lies ahead of me. As much as we have the press conferences and the weigh-ins, I have a job to do on April 27. I’m preparing for the best of Josh Taylor, so when I beat him and do it convincingly, I can move on with my career.

 

"I think he’s there to be beaten and I’ve got his number, and it’s only a matter of time before he touches the canvas again. Can we get some more tickets for the fight Eddie, please? We’ve had a great response and that’s expected with a big domestic fight, so I’m very grateful for everyone’s support.

 

"Josh, you are finished after this fight. In nine weeks' time, we get to put him to bed."

 

Jamie Moore: "I’ve always been a big believer in Jack, I’ve always said the day that he came into our gym that he would be a World champion. I’ve just done loads of interviews and basically said the same thing, this is such a good fight because it’s been created by that narrative. It was a controversial decision in the first fight, and the vast majority thought Jack won. The two years in between has created a better story and made people more interested in it now than when it first should have taken place six months afterwards.

 

"You have kept Jack busy, he’s active and that’s the main thing that’s not been good for him over the last five years. He’s always in the gym. Josh has had that one loss, but I don’t buy into the fact that he’s on the slide because he’s lost to Teofimo Lopez because he’s an unbelievable fighter. So, we’re going into the fight knowing we’re going to get the best version of Josh Taylor because it’s such a grudge match and we’re going to train hard for it.

 

"The first fight is irrelevant now, all that matters is what happens on April 27."

 

Sam Jones: "Yesterday we were in the great city of Edinburgh, and it is a great city, but it’s not a patch on Chorley. I didn’t hear what Tom said yesterday, he mentioned Ben Shalom for some reason, but they have a bit in common, they both got the charisma of the weather outside.

 

"It’s a fantastic fight, we’ve got two of the best trainers in the country up here today, all I want is for Josh not to make any excuses. He demanded it to be at 140lbs, I think that is a ready-made excuse right there, but it’s just a fantastic fight, British boxing needs rivalries like this, with two great fighter, one former undisputed champion and one guy that should have been undisputed, and it’s going to be a great fight, and as I said yesterday, Jack Catterall is going to whoop Josh Taylor on April 27."

‘The Tartan Tornado’ and ‘El Gato’ look to settle the score at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

 

After more than two years of waiting, bitter rivals Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall will finally meet in a hugely anticipated rematch at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday April 27, shown live on DAZN in the UK and around the world and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.

 

The enemies have been embroiled in a heated war of words since February 2022 when they met on an unforgettable night at The OVO Hydro Arena in Glasgow for Taylor’s Undisputed Super-Lightweight World Title.

 

Intense debate has raged in the aftermath of their first fight, when Scotland’s Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) protected his unbeaten record with a hugely controversial split decision points win to retain his then-Undisputed Super-Lightweight crown.

 

During a pulsating battle, Taylor was cut twice by the left eye and was put down by Catterall in the 8th round before he was deducted one point in the 11th for punching after the bell. Catterall, meanwhile, was deducted one point for holding in the 10th.

 

Chorley’s ‘El Gato’ (28-1, 13 KOs) appeared to outbox Taylor for long periods but ultimately tasted defeat for the first time in his career after Taylor clung onto his titles. The decision caused outrage among some boxing fans and the two have been at loggerheads ever since.

 

Following his clash with Catterall, ‘The Tartan Tornado’ relinquished his WBC, IBF and WBA World Titles due to pending mandatory orders – and then lost his WBO crown to a resurgent Teofimo Lopez in New York City last June.

 

Catterall ended a 15-month ring absence by widely outpointing Irishman Darragh Foley over ten-rounds at the Manchester’s AO Arena in May 2023 before sending multi-weight World Champion Jorge Linares into retirement after dominating the Venezuelan legend over 12 rounds in Liverpool last October.

 

In what is one of the most eagerly anticipated rematches in modern British boxing history, the fierce rivals will go head-to-head once more in a 12-round Super-Lightweight contest on neutral territory – with plenty of bad blood and animosity guaranteed in a blockbuster build-up.

 

“I’ve never run from anyone in my life, especially not Jack Catterall,” said Taylor. “He has spent the last two years running from promoter to promoter while living off my name. Jack should be careful what he wishes for because he’s getting battered on April 27. I am going to enjoy every second of this. See you soon, Jack.”

 

“I’ve wanted this fight since the moment the scorecards got read out in Glasgow,” said Catterall. “A few people say ‘move on Jack’, and that’s easy to say to when you’re not in my position. I get asked every day of my life multiple times a day, ‘when are you fighting Taylor again?’. This isn’t about a belts, this is personal to me and I can’t wait to get my hands on him. I don’t like him, I don’t respect him and on April 27 I’m going to end him.”

 

“I’m so happy to get this fight made,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “British boxing has been crying out for a big fight and now we look to settling the score of one of the most bitter rivalries in the sport. It will be nearly 2 years to the day since their controversial Undisputed fight and not a day has past where opinion and debate has not ensued. The pair have engaged in a back and forth full of hatred and now the time has come to finally meet again in Leeds on April 27. Despite the offers to stage this fight on PPV, I am proud that Matchroom and DAZN have stepped up make this fight available to subscribers as part of their subscription and I can’t wait for the intense build up and a huge event on April 27.”

 

“This is the ultimate grudge match between two of the world’s top 140-pounders,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “These two warriors will settle the score in front of what I’m sure will be an incredible crowd in Leeds. If you look at Josh Taylor’s career, he has never, ever backed down from a challenge, and he will be in peak form on April 27.”

 

“What an incredible fight this will be,” said Alfie Sharman, VP, DAZN. “It has all the makings of a classic – a cracking back story, an explosive build-up and what will be an unmissable fight night. From first to last bell expect fireworks. DAZN now enter a run of unrivalled shows spanning the globe, featuring the biggest names in the best matchups with Taylor vs. Catterall 2 being one of the many high points. Watch it only on DAZN April 27.”

 

About DAZN Group
DAZN Group is one of the fastest growing sports media companies in the world. Headquartered in the UK and with employees in over 25 countries, our businesses touch every aspect of the way fans engage with sports; from production, through to content distribution and commercialization. DAZN Group is home to DAZN, the leading global sport destination, as well as the popular sport portal, DAZN News. DAZN is leading the charge to give sports fans around the world access to sport anytime, anywhere. DAZN guarantees affordable access on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles. DAZN is now live in more than 200 countries and territories after first launching in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan in 2016.

 

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.  Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, LaLiga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC.  

 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League. With the most authentic voice in the sport, DAZN is the only brand that can reach across all markets and audiences cohesively in boxing, unlike any other broadcaster. DAZN is also a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.  DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans.  

 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialise, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN.  

 

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries.

 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to ground-breaking rights catalogue and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including Playstation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and find the app on their iPhone, iPad, android and mobile.  

 

About Matchroom Boxing

After the success of snooker in the 1980s, Matchroom Sport moved into boxing with two small hall shows followed by Frank Bruno v Joe Bugner at Tottenham Hotspur’s ground – the biggest boxing event of 1987. That launched the company into the boxing big-time, a position it has maintained ever since.

 

Through the 1990s Matchroom Sport’s boxing roster featured many of the biggest names in the sport including Lennox Lewis, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Steve Collins and Naseem Hamed, all in world title fights and it continues to work with some of the biggest names in UK boxing including Audley Harrison, the 2000 Olympic Super-Heavyweight gold medalist.

 

Over the years, Matchroom Sport has built up long-standing relationships with broadcasters around the world and with the advent of the Prizefighter phenomenon, the company’s boxing division has never been in a stronger position.

 

From fantastic six round scraps between the sport’s journeymen, up to multi-million-dollar World Championship contests featuring the above fighters, the Pro Box series has it all. Each show is packed with the very best in boxing action in a series that encompasses almost 25 years of Matchroom Sport’s commitment to bringing the highest quality to the global television market.

Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall Kickoff Presser!

(February 19th) Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall, Edinburgh, launch press conference.

 

Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman:

"Welcome to a packed Intercontinental here in Edinburgh, where we’ve had to turn people away, we’re blown away by the attendance. This has got a real old school feel about it, the good old days of real British grudge matches. Nearly two years ago to the day which will be April 27, we saw the fight for the undisputed championship. Some say the most controversial fight in the history of British boxing. Sometimes these fights take time to make. The hatred runs deep is the slogan for this fight and that’s why it’s taken two years to get these two great fighters together. Times have changed, their careers have changed, but the rivalry continues, and I cannot wait for this huge night, April 27, the Leeds Arena and live on DAZN around the world.

 

"We wanted to give the DAZN subscribers value for money, make no mistake, this is a pay-per-view fight, and back in the day I would have been lapping it up. But to give it to DAZN subscribers as part of your subscription, is unbelievable value for fight fans and part of a huge schedule on DAZN."

 

(Matchroom interview) "You talk about bringing two guys together in one of the biggest fights in boxing, one of the biggest fights in British boxing history, with this kind of hatred, you are going to see that. You can try to keep people as calm as you like, but with two years of personal attacks from fans and both sides, this is just what is on the line and it’s going to spill over.

 

"I’ve come late to the party, but I’ve seen it first-hand, Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton was probably the closest thing to this, where you had Joe Gallagher and Shane McGuigan, now you have Sam Jones, Top Rank, Matchroom, Josh and Jack. And at some point, Josh probably thought, ‘I’ve had enough of this, I’m not giving him the shot, I’m World champion, I won the fight, I’m moving on’. Whereas really, this fight should have happened instantly. It was so big and it’s still so big, April 27, Leeds is going to be packed, the whole of the UK will be watching this fight, the build-up is going to be epic, we just need to stay a little bit calm.

 

"There’s a lot of talk about these mega-fights going to the Middle East and Saudi Arabia are doing an incredible job of delivering the fights that sometimes we’re not getting to see. But we must make sure that the big all-British fights happen in this country, and this is a great example of a fight that everyone else wanted to do as a pay-per-view, DAZN stepped up and said ‘no, it’s part of your subscription’. That’s massive for us, massive for DAZN but massive for British boxing because this has got an old school feel to it. The multi-city press tour, the noise from the crowd, this is Frampton-Quigg, this is Haye-Bellew, Froch-Groves, those kinds of rivalries and they made British boxing what it is.

 

"It’s an interesting on who is favourite. Jack is coming in off two wins and looked good, Josh is coming in off a defeat., albeit to Teofimo Lopez. There is a suggestion that Josh might be coming towards the end of his career, but you know he’s going to be up for this fight, if you can’t get up for this fight, you aren’t going to get up for any fight. After today and everything that has happened in two years, the best Josh Taylor will be there on April 27, and I think the best Jack Catterall will be there too because this is must-win for both. This isn’t the undisputed championship, this is career-defining, it could be career ending for the loser.  

 

"After today, after tomorrow, after the build-up, trust me, this is going to be huge on April 27. When that first bell goes, the anticipation from 12,000 in Leeds, the millions watching around the world, it’s what we want and it’s putting British boxing back on the map.

"You still want that face-off moment, let’s be honest, this is the fight game, this is prize fighting. I want people to look into the whites of their eyes and just show me how much you want it. Hate runs deep, show me the hate, give me a build-up.

 

"When we made the move to DAZN we made it for many reasons, but one was that we felt the pressure to do too many pay-per-view fights. We wanted to bring PPV fights as part of your subscription, what DAZN are offering right now is unrivalled globally. We have come from a tremendous show in Oaxaca, this weekend we’re in Orlando for Edgar Berlanga, coming up there’s Joshua-Ngannou, Fury-Usyk, Haney-Garcia, the fights are endless. It’s every single week, but you need the big pay-per-view fights as part of the subscription, it’s taken its time, we’ve had a lot of fights fall by the wayside, Joshua against Whyte, Benn against Eubank Jr, but now we’ve got Taylor-Catterall."

 

Josh Taylor:

"It’s going to be a great night. It’s going to be action-packed. He says he’s coming to knock me out, he’s never knocked anyone out in his life. So, we’ll see what happens, I can’t wait for it, it’s going to be class.

 

"I don’t hate anyone, but I don’t like this guy and I can’t wait to smash his brains in, what little brains he’s got.

 

"This is about me and Jack. He’s had three promoters in two years, we went to get the fight done straight away, I picked up the injury which was a bad one and took a long time to get over it, and Jack took another fight. I took my mandatory at Madison Square Garden; Jack fought a nobody and then a 40-year-old and still couldn’t put him away.

 

"We’re here now and I’m looking forward to it. It’s kind of a crossroads fight. It’s evident that in my last two fights I haven’t been great, so i have a point to prove, I need to be back to my best and win this fight to keep my career on the go, so it’s a big fight.

 

"The last time his tactics were to spoil and hold and steal the fight which is what he tried to do, and the judges didn’t like it, so if he comes to fight, great, the referee this time doesn’t allow the holding. You lost, why don’t you go and phone the police again? Write a letter to your MP again, you grass."

 

(Matchroom interview) "He’s riled up, he tried to put his hands on me again, he’s trying to wind me up, but he hasn’t got the brains to wind me up. It wasn’t about me getting the abuse but my family getting it, some guys in the media like talkSPORT started mentioning corruption and all that sort of stuff, that’s when the nature of the abuse changed. It was threats to my wife, her business address got put online, threats of violence and my little sister was getting it too. I kept my mouth shut after the fight for a couple of months. I said a couple of things back to a couple of people and suddenly, I’m the asshole. You can’t win. But when the family start getting involved, it’s a different kettle of fish, say what you want to me all day long, but when it’s family, it’s out of order.

 

"I’ve not really watched the first fight because I know I was so crap, it was unbelievable, it wasn’t me. I’ve watched Jack a few times in other fights, and he doesn’t do anything different in any of his fights. So, I know what to expect, if he wants to come and fight this time, great, because then hopefully we don’t get a referee that allows the constant holding and spoiling, slowing the pace down and all that. Because that ruined it the last time. We were on the floor, we fell three or four times, and it was a crap fight for people to watch.

 

"I could retire today and have had a career one in 65 million, because I’m the only undisputed champion in the four-belt era in the UK. I could be happy, but this fight, I’m right up for. Forget titles, championships, belts, I just want to fight this guy, and I’m up for it in training and enjoying it. The ambition and hunger are there. There are bragging rights, it’s right up there and I can’t wait.

 

"After the Jose Ramirez fight there was talks of moving up to Welterweight and becoming a two-weight World champion, facing Terence Crawford and that kind of stuff, and I was excited by that and up for it, instead of looking at what was right in front of me, the threat that was right there, that was a mistake I made and I won’t be doing that again for sure.

 

"I can’t wait for Manchester tomorrow. It’s quite convenient that it was 1.30pm here in Edinburgh and 5.30pm tomorrow there when everyone has finished work, a nice sneaky trick there. Sam makes it all about him, I’ve never met such a fame-hungry guy in my life.

 

"It’s a Josh Taylor win, whether on points or stoppage. I’m very confident of getting him out of there, especially the way he’s acting, trying to be all aggressive, that plays into my hands, if he comes like that he gets knocked out."

 

Tom Grant:

"Without this becoming the Sam Jones show, I just want to thank Matchroom, Top Rank, DAZN and ESPN for making this happen. A lot of hard work has gone into it from a lot of different people, a lot of moving parts, and we’re thrilled it’s all sorted now. It has been a long time coming, through no fault of Josh’s. Jack will attest that I went to see him just after the first fight to see if we could make it happen, Josh gave up a number of his mandatory defences to see if he could pursue this fight. It didn’t happen, and act of God where Josh picked up an injury, but we’re back here now and I am glad it’s all sorted.

 

"It’s the side of boxing that not a lot of people get to see. I’m not sure that Sam did get Josh more money, I think Josh commands his own fee, but it’s by the by, we’re here now. As much as this fight is an opportunity for redemption for Jack, perhaps justifiably, it’s an opportunity for retribution for Josh, because he’s had a lot of shit over a prolonged period of time, particularly directed at his family, and any man in this room, if they suffered the vitriol that his wife and his sister has suffered, they would feel a certain way about it. This is the opportunity for Josh to put it right."

 

Jack Catterall:

"It’s been a long time coming. I’m excited now, it feels real being here today. I got a warm welcome on the way in, but they’ve obviously changed now, but I am excited, we’ve finally caught him. I don’t believe he wanted to fight me, but he’s here now, he’s showed up and I’m going to smash his head in on April 27.

 

"Two years on I’ve stayed in the gym, I’ve picked up two victories since then, he went to New York and got smashed and I believe he’s on the decline and I am going to capitalize on it and put him to bed.

"Without a shadow of a doubt, I am coming in there to do damage. They’ve titled it hate runs deep but hate is a strong word. I think for me, I don’t care that much about Josh, the respect is not there, right now he is the enemy, and that’s all that I can focus on.

 

"I’ve never ducked a challenge in my life, I understand that this is a big fight, it’s going to put me in the picture for bigger fights, but I am fully focused on April 27, and I can’t wait to get in there."

 

(Matchroom interview) "I’ve not bumped into him or seen him; he’s been in hiding for two years. He came out today, he didn’t look too clever, but the juices are flowing and I’m excited for this.

 

"In the immediate aftermath I thought that the rematch wouldn’t happen, but then over the last two years, it was still being talked about and people were constantly asking me ‘when’s the rematch?’ And he would be getting the same, so ultimately, I always felt that it would happen.

 

"He didn’t want this, he had great plans to go to 147lbs and challenge for World titles up there. He cemented 140 but unfortunately for him, his biggest fight is me. I know that he’s my biggest fight, I can accept that, but for him I think it’s frustrating that he can’t go up and fight Crawford etc, because it stinks still so he’s got to fight me.

 

"I want to prove myself and fight the best, if this is the fight and victory that I need to put myself one step closer to the world titles, then game on. I want to be involved in big fights and this is a big fight. It would have been the cherry on top if we could have got it for a World title, I have ambitions to go on and win a World title, but this fight is worthy of a World title, and it gets me up for it.

 

"We’re going into round 13, we’ve shared the ring, when you have been in the ring with someone whether it’s sparring or a fight, you get a feel for that person. You have to look at the landscape, the fight was two years ago, we’ve both aged two years, I’ve had two wins, he’s had the loss against Lopez, it’s a different fight. I’m going in there feeling that I’m still getting better, I don’t know if we can same the same about him. 

 

"I don’t gamble, but in my head I am the favourite. I’m not as emotionally invested as Josh is, I want to go in there and knock him out, do everything in my power to finish him. If that doesn’t come, I’ll beat him from pillar to post for 12 rounds.

 

"Credit to the fans today for turning out, it’s nice to see the fans turn out and support."

 

Sam Jones:

"It’s been torturous to try to get this fight done. I have worked my nuts off, day in, day out, to get this fight. I got Jack more money for the fight, his lawyer will tell you, I’ve played a very big role in this fight. We’re here now,. It’s a massive, massive fight and we’re going to get an all-British classic. I think Jack has got Josh Taylor’s number seven days a week and twice on Sunday. It’s just a fact, you can boo all you want. We’re sat here because Jack beat him the first time. Josh is a fantastic fighter, the last time I was in Edinburgh was when Josh won his Commonwealth title against Dave Ryan, I’ve always given him his props, he’s a fantastic fighter that’s done things the hard way in boxing. But ultimately, he should have three defeats on his record, Regis Prograis beat him, Jack definitely beat him, and Teofimo Lopez most certainly beat him. It’s a fact. Getting Josh i the ring was very, very difficult, he didn’t want to box, he didn’t want to box in London, he wanted a massive ice skating rink for the ring, a 22 foot ring, he didn’t want to box in Manchester, we’re finally here, we’ve caught him in a net, and Jack Catterall is whooping him again on April 27."

 

Alfie Sharman, VP DAZN:

"Thanks for everyone for coming today, it’s great to be here in Edinburgh.  What a fight we have on DAZN on April 27, I can feel the tension up here and there’s a fantastic atmosphere in the room. The fight poster sums this one up perfectly, there is bad blood, there are scores to settle. Josh is one of if not the greatest Scottish fighter of all time, Jack was so close to defeating Josh before and has had an incredible run of fights since that night.

 

"This fight slots into an unmatched schedule on DAZN, there are dozens of great fights coming up and DAZN was today confirmed as the global host broadcaster of Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou on March 8. We have Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia, Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, to name just a few, and these guys on April 27, further cementing DAZN as the global home of boxing and we’re incredibly proud to be giving this fight as part of your subscription to all DAZN subscribers around the world."

 

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