While Jack Catterall has his eyes fixed on Saturday’s fight in Manchester, England, with Harlem Eubank, he knows there is a contest that – win, lose or draw – remains viable for the future.
Catterall, of Chorley, England, is 1-1 with Scotland’s Josh Taylor, who was defeated by Ekow Essuman in May in Glasgow, but Catterall is aware that a trilogy fight with his bitter rival will always be an option.
The animosity they share, and the fact that their series is 1-1, means that they could easily run it back, and Catterall admits that it has been discussed.
“Yeah, of course – it’s been mentioned, but I guess like any fighter, I've got a fight scheduled,” Catterall said.
“I’m solely focused on that. If he’s in a position in the future and I am where two roads collide again, then we’ll accept it.”
Catterall watched on while Taylor was outscored and outworked by the industrious Essuman in an upset. Essuman had even been to Catterall’s gym beforehand and sparred with Jack, and Catterall had been curious to see how Taylor would perform in his debut at 147lbs.
“We’d seen in the fight with Teofimo [Lopez] where [Taylor] mentioned about the weight draining out of him; the energy draining out of him quite quick... I thought he looked sharp. As the bell went for the first, I think it was three rounds – [Taylor] was faster to the punch. His timing looked better. His speed certainly looked better. I knew how fit Essuman was. “They call him ‘The Engine.' A few times I thought both of them were going to stop each other. ‘Oh, he’s on top, he’s on top.’
“Then, as the fight progressed, we’d seen Essuman stick to what he does and kept chipping away and got the victory. I was made up for him.”
How did Catterall feel seeing his rival vanquished in front of his own fans in Glasgow?
“I didn't feel any kind of way,” he responded. “I was happy for Essuman. Josh got beat. I’m not going to kick him while he’s down. I know how that feels, losing a fight. It’s not nice. I’m not in a position where I’m going to start taking to the internet and firing shots at him. You’ve got to suck it up and take it like a man. Not like he did when we first boxed, but that’s a different story.
“Ultimately, Essuman, I’ve seen how hard he was training for the fight. I’ve been in that position, travelling up to Glasgow as the away fighter, probably expecting to get on the wrong side of the decision, maybe. I was quite nervous when it went to the scorecards for Essuman, but they come up right that night.”
