Jack Catterall’s subsequent struggle is being deliberate for late August in Manchester towards presumably former WBA/WBC mild welterweight champion Regis Prograis or Arnold Barboza Jr.
Avoiding Matias: A Strategic Transfer?
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is all in favour of utilizing a kind of two contenders for Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) to struggle in a title eliminator. Hearn isn’t saying for which title, nevertheless it’s doubtless the WBO, as that’s the one which Catterall has been asking for.
What’s unclear is why Hearn doesn’t set Catterall up for a straight title shot towards his fighter, IBF 140-lb champion Subriel Matias. It could be a stylistic mismatch.
It could be straightforward for Hearn to make that struggle, however his reluctance to take action means that he feels Matias could be all improper for Catterall. Matias would expose Catterall’s lack of energy and incapacity to face his floor and struggle.
Catterall’s Shakur-Esque Type
I believe it could be a catastrophe to throw the light-hitting Shakur-esque Catterall in with Matias and watch the feeding frenzy that might happen. Catterall is a six-round fighter who fights like Shakur Stevenson together with his ugly ‘hit, run, and maintain’ model and gasses out. The final six rounds are holding and working by Catterall.
That model received’t work towards Matias. Catterall’s final struggle towards Josh Taylor final month on Might twenty fifth was so ugly to look at with the nonstop clinching and shifting he did. Matias could be a pure nightmare for Catterall, and it wouldn’t assist Jack making an attempt to carry all evening.
“It received’t be in Saudi. We’re taking a look at Jack probably returning on the finish of August in Manchester. Regis Prograis is certainly a reputation that we like. So is Arnold Barboza. It’s a struggle that would put Jack in a compulsory place. So watch this house. We’re engaged on Jack Catterall’s subsequent struggle as we communicate,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing.
Difficulties in Securing Prograis
Hearn would possibly must do some convincing to get the 35-year-old Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs) to comply with struggle Catterall within the UK as a result of he needs to struggle in Saudi Arabia. That’s the place the cash is at, and Prograis wouldn’t should cope with a loud pro-Catterall crowd like he would if he fought him within the UK in Manchester.
Prograis is coming off a loss towards the a lot larger Devin Haney final December in San Francisco. Not surprisingly, that defeat left a nasty style in Prograis’ mouth after studying that Haney had rehydrated to 165 lbs after the weigh-in.
Would Prograis be prepared to struggle one other one in all Hearn’s fighters, particularly if it concerned combating a runner & clincher within the UK? It’s not a great deal for Prograis.
Barboza Jr.’s Unlikely Participation
Barboza (30-0, 11 KOs) is ranked #1 with the WBO, and I don’t see why he would comply with struggle Catterall. He doesn’t must struggle him to get a title shot towards WBO champion Teofimo Lopez, and I don’t assume he would need to should cope with the defensive ways Catterall makes use of.
