Having just taken the undisputed title for light welter in convincing fashion, Josh Taylor is a rising star. He now defends his titles against undefeated prospect Jack Catterall in what will likely be a fantastic fight.
Josh Taylor: The young and talented star is all action every single time he fights, yet he still remains smart. He has a solid bag of tricks backed by good footwork and a tight traditional defense. Catterall is a solid opponent to defend against, especially if he’s serious about his designs on welterweight kingpins Terrence Crawford and Errol Spence, Jr.. He’ll need to take advantage of his experience to beat Catterall.
Jack Catterall: An undefeated prospect, he’s got a bit of a strange look to his record. Rather than the mass of knockouts over unrated opponents that tend to populate a fighter’s early record, he’s got a solid array of points wins against skilled regional competition. This marks him as a student of the classic British Boxing tradition: controlled, calculated aggression backed up by grit and durability. It will be interesting to see him clash with the more experienced Taylor, far and away his best opponent.
Prediction: Taylor by Points. I think Taylor’s experience and his confidence win out over the young underdog here.
HOW TO WATCH: Live on ESPN+ on February 26, 2022 at 10:00 PM ET.