It could possibly be seen as fairly ironic how Josh Taylor boxed higher in defeat to Jack Catterall than the “Tartan Twister” boxed when he defeated Catterall, controversially, again in February of 2022. The combat of two years in the past noticed a seemingly disinterested Taylor preventing a person he had largely ignored and was not too involved about. It resulted in a flat efficiency, one for which Taylor was fortunate to have been rewarded with a victory.
Final night time, all enterprise and totally motivated, Taylor confirmed that at age 33 he has rather a lot left to supply. Taylor could not have received – though he mentioned after the combat that he felt he had “nicked it,” and virtually all of us noticed the rematch as a detailed combat, far nearer than the official judges had it – however the former undisputed 140 pound champ confirmed us there’s nonetheless a great deal of hearth burning in his stomach.
The massive query is, what subsequent for Taylor, 19-2(13)?
There seem like three doubtless choices for Taylor: a rubber-match with Catterall, a transfer as much as the welterweight division, retirement from the game.
Catterall could be as focused on a 3rd combat as Taylor is, however first Catterall desires to try to turn out to be, lastly, a world champion. There’s already some speak of a doable Catterall problem of Teofimo Lopez, who took the WBO belt from Taylor and now will get able to defend it towards Steve Claggett in June. If Catterall had been to win a world title, both by defeating Teo or another person, and if Taylor remains to be boxing, a trilogy combat between the 2 bitter British rivals could be big over right here.
However would possibly Taylor, if he does combat on, resolve he has pushed his physique sufficient in making the 140 pound restrict? For a while now, Taylor has talked about making the transfer as much as 147, and perhaps he’ll look again on final night time’s combat and resolve that the time is now. Solely Taylor is aware of how he felt in there within the later rounds, solely he is aware of how the trouble at making weight took it out of him throughout the championship rounds. And there could possibly be some good fights for Taylor at welterweight, some enjoyable fights, both within the UK or within the US. Can Taylor turn out to be a two-weight world champion?
Or perhaps Taylor, safe within the data that he’ll go down as one of many best Scottish fighters ever, will name it a day, a profession. Taylor peaked when he defeated Jose Ramirez to turn out to be the unified champion at 140 kilos, the Might 2021 win seeing Taylor make historical past as the primary British fighter to unify the titles within the four-belt period. Taylor won’t be a lock for the Corridor of Fame, however it’s doubtless he’ll get in.
Taylor might name it quits and he would don’t have anything in any respect to be ashamed of. An excellent novice who received each a silver and a gold on the Commonwealth Video games, this in 2010 and in 2014, Taylor has engaged in six world title fights, with him shedding simply one in all them. By no means stopped, Taylor has confirmed quite a few occasions that he’s an actual warrior and it goes with out saying that he has earned the appropriate to do no matter he desires to do from right here on in.
For what it’s price, I believe Taylor will need that third combat with Catterall badly, with him preventing on in an effort at getting it.
