JOSH TAYLOR’S EYE INJURY THREATENS CAREER AHEAD OF GRUDGE REMATCH
In a highly anticipated grudge rematch, Josh Taylor is more focused than ever as he prepares to face off against Jack Catterall. However, Taylor’s career was almost derailed by a long-term eye injury, which he has now addressed.
It has been two years since their controversial first showdown in Glasgow, where Taylor secured a contentious split decision victory. Now, they will settle their bitter feud in Leeds on Saturday night.
The road to this rematch has been filled with delays and setbacks, with Taylor often bearing the brunt of criticism. Originally scheduled for April, the fight was postponed twice within a year.
Taylor recently underwent a procedure on his eye, requiring additional recovery time. Despite the delay, he believes it was a necessary step to overcome a problem that has plagued him for nearly five years, dating back to his 2019 bout against Regis Prograis.
After unifying the IBF and WBA titles in a thrilling match in London, Taylor’s performance suffered against Catterall, leading to his first professional defeat against Teofimo Lopez in May. Taylor attributes these struggles to issues with his vision.
“It was something I needed to get done in order to get the best out of myself,” Taylor explained. “I retained it a bit from the Prograis fight, I started noticing I was getting a bit of double vision even back then.”
For the past three to four years, Taylor has been coping with his vision impairment, which significantly affected his training and fights. However, after the operation, he experienced a revelation.
“I was back to normal, it felt like I was seeing for the first time. Like a kid who had got glasses for the first time. Now there’s no limitations to what I can do,” Taylor shared.
With his eye injury addressed, Taylor is ready to prove himself in the ring once again. The stage is set for a thrilling rematch that promises to settle their long-standing feud.
Taylor Set to Settle Score with Catterall in Brutal Rematch
In a highly anticipated rematch, Josh Taylor is determined to prove once and for all that he is the better man in the ring. Taylor, a former world champion, has his sights set on reclaiming the title, with current WBC super-lightweight champion Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia, who recently defeated him, among his targets. But before he can focus on those fights, he must settle the score with Jack Catterall.
The rivalry between Taylor and Catterall has been one of the most captivating storylines in British boxing. Their first encounter in Glasgow ended in controversy, with many believing Catterall had won, only for two of the three judges to award the victory to Taylor. Since then, insults have been exchanged through interviews and social media, leading up to their upcoming fight on Saturday, aptly titled ‘Hate Runs Deep’.
However, Taylor is eager to move on from the animosity. “It is purely business for me, it always is,” he stated. “I’ve had some unpleasant years, but I am focused on the job. I am confident that I will show him there are levels to this game.”
The road to the rematch has been frustrating for Taylor, who has been accused of avoiding the fight. “It did get on my nerves. It was painted in a way that I was dodging the fight,” he admitted. “But I am way past giving a s**t.”
Once the fight is over, Taylor hopes that respect can be shown between him and Catterall. “There is always that side of me, showing respect to my opponents. We’ll see,” Taylor said. “But as of now, I just want to tear Jack apart, outbox him, and make it a long, horrible night for him.”
