Josh Taylor vs. Jack Catterall II & Paddy Donovan vs. Lewis Ritson + Cully vs. Patera RBR.

Don’t get me wrong I thought Taylor was better than I thought he’d be and had left. Carerall was better too. As you say hit and not get hit and when you are a heavy handed **** on top of it I love it. He was brilliant. As he was in the first fight, which I wanted and thought Taylor would win in.

I don’t understand this reaction at all

I don’t think Taylor is finished at all. That fight on another night he may have nicked. Just wonder how much desire he has to come back if not for a mega money rematch and only natural that.

 

I thought Scotty Harrison had a hair transplant when Taylor was on the way to the ring.

Looked awful and always sad to see great fighters defeated in fights they would have won easily 3-5 years ago.

 

He is only 40% of the fighter he was 3-5 years ago at best.

Looks more like Scott Harrison by the day.

 

The first fight was over 2 years ago and he had his head boxed off. Last night was a far closer fight despite what the judges say.


I thought the exact same on the way to the ring haha. Looked ok on scales. He asked for the lower weight though didn’t he?

 

Taylor could turn into a Ricky Burns if the promoters wanted it. Home fights where the crowd is almost guaranteed and a UK broadcaster will always cover it, against a certain level of opponent. Depends how much he needs the money of course.

 

What I mean is I still think he can be in and around top level ish. I can’t comment on this too much any more because as I say I don’t follow the world scene even a 10th as much as I used to.

 

I know he was prob my fave British fighter to watch then. I was shocked at how the fight started as I had been sleeping on Caterall for a couple of years because of boring match making. Caterall schooled him only a few months after the time frame you say though. No way is that down to purely Taylor’s decline.

 

That is the point, he left the ring after the Ramirez fight 3 years ago, enjoyed his success too much and we are left with a man in his thirties no longer able to perform anywhere near the level he did.

The lower weight class was his choice but is a sign he knows he is done and would be brutally exposed at the higher weight.

Should have retired after the Ramirez fight but we know they all love the loot and he probably got sold well short in that dept. given his outstanding achievements in the ring.

 

Prob right. You know more about him than me but he was far better last night than in first fight so that is good sign.

 

He did better than I expected digging deep.

 

Has a fighter as good as Taylor ever been promoted as bad?

Spent his early days flying through the rankings on Cyclone shows, then had to go and box in lockdown in Vegas with no UK broadcaster for his career defining moment and his last 2 have technically been as the away fighter.

He really needed a consistent UK promoter throughout his career.

Really wish he stayed with Shane McGuigan.

 

he earned the respect of hardcore boxing fans doing it that way, for what little that’s worth

there’s a very short list of Brits who have gone to Vegas and taken the belt from an American champ

 

Yeah and although I’m sure staying with Shane would have kept his boxing up to the right level for longer, not sure it would have helped with his promotion. Might have taken Catterall 1 more seriously though.

Taylor was made to fight for Matchroom - he’s happy to self promote, get in the media, fight anywhere, etc. I’d be surprised if Eddie didn’t offer something (whilst holding the card of a third Catterall fight if things don’t work out there). It’d be like keeping Warrington on the books just in case Wood fancies giving him another go.

 

Taylor was about to sign a co-promotional deal with Matchroom and Barry McGuigan straight after the Prograis fight but was then poached by MTK.

 

Will give it a watch later tonight.