Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall 2 Edinburgh press conference quotes
Below are a selection of quotes from today’s Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall 2 press conference in Edinburgh ahead of their huge rematch at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday April 27, shown live on DAZN in the UK and around the world and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Watch the full Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall 2 press conference back on the Matchroom Boxing YouTube channel.
Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman: “Welcome to a packed Intercontinental here in Edinburgh, where we’ve had to turn people away, we’re blown away by the attendance.
“This has got a real old school feel about it, the good old days of real British grudge matches. Nearly two years ago to the day, which will be April 27, we saw the fight for the undisputed championship. Some say the most controversial fight in the history of British boxing. Sometimes these fights take time to make.
“The hatred runs deep is the slogan for this fight and that’s why it’s taken two years to get these two great fighters together. Times have changed, their careers have changed, but the rivalry continues, and I cannot wait for this huge night, April 27, the Leeds Arena and live on DAZN around the world.
“We wanted to give the DAZN subscribers value for money, make no mistake, this is a pay-per-view fight, and back in the day I would have been lapping it up. But to give it to DAZN subscribers as part of your subscription, is unbelievable value for fight fans and part of a huge schedule on DAZN.”
Josh Taylor: “It’s going to be a great night. It’s going to be action-packed. He says he’s coming to knock me out, he’s never knocked anyone out in his life. So, we’ll see what happens, I can’t wait for it, it’s going to be class.
“I don’t hate anyone, but I don’t like this guy and I can’t wait to smash his brains in, what little brains he’s got.
“This is about me and Jack. He’s had three promoters in two years, we went to get the fight done straight away, I picked up the injury which was a bad one and took a long time to get over it, and Jack took another fight. I took my mandatory at Madison Square Garden; Jack fought a nobody and then a 40-year-old and still couldn’t put him away.
“We’re here now and I’m looking forward to it. It’s kind of a crossroads fight. It’s evident that in my last two fights I haven’t been great, so I have a point to prove, I need to be back to my best and win this fight to keep my career on the go, so it’s a big fight.
“The last time his tactics were to spoil and hold and steal the fight which is what he tried to do, and the judges didn’t like it, so if he comes to fight, great, the referee this time doesn’t allow the holding. You lost, why don’t you go and phone the police again? Write a letter to your MP again, you grass.”
Tom Grant: “Without this becoming the Sam Jones show, I just want to thank Matchroom, Top Rank, DAZN and ESPN for making this happen. A lot of hard work has gone into it from a lot of different people, a lot of moving parts, and we’re thrilled it’s all sorted now. It has been a long time coming, through no fault of Josh’s. Jack will attest that I went to see him just after the first fight to see if we could make it happen, Josh gave up a number of his mandatory defences to see if he could pursue this fight. It didn’t happen, and act of God where Josh picked up an injury, but we’re back here now and I am glad it’s all sorted.
“It’s the side of boxing that not a lot of people get to see. I’m not sure that Sam did get Josh more money, I think Josh commands his own fee, but it’s by the by, we’re here now. As much as this fight is an opportunity for redemption for Jack, perhaps justifiably, it’s an opportunity for retribution for Josh, because he’s had a lot of shit over a prolonged period of time, particularly directed at his family, and any man in this room, if they suffered the vitriol that his wife and his sister has suffered, they would feel a certain way about it. This is the opportunity for Josh to put it right.”
Jack Catterall: “It’s been a long time coming. I’m excited now, it feels real being here today. I got a warm welcome on the way in, but they’ve obviously changed now, but I am excited, we’ve finally caught him. I don’t believe he wanted to fight me, but he’s here now, he’s showed up and I’m going to smash his head in on April 27.
“Two years on I’ve stayed in the gym, I’ve picked up two victories since then, he went to New York and got smashed and I believe he’s on the decline and I am going to capitalise on it and put him to bed.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, I am coming in there to do damage. They’ve titled it hate runs deep but hate is a strong word. I think for me, I don’t care that much about Josh, the respect is not there, right now he is the enemy, and that’s all that I can focus on.
“I’ve never ducked a challenge in my life, I understand that this is a big fight, it’s going to put me in the picture for bigger fights, but I am fully focused on April 27, and I can’t wait to get in there.”
Sam Jones: “It’s been torturous to try to get this fight done. I have worked my nuts off, day in, day out, to get this fight. I got Jack more money for the fight, his lawyer will tell you, I’ve played a very big role in this fight. We’re here now.
“It’s a massive, massive fight and we’re going to get an all-British classic. I think Jack has got Josh Taylor’s number seven days a week and twice on Sunday. It’s just a fact, you can boo all you want. We’re sat here because Jack beat him the first time.
“Josh is a fantastic fighter, the last time I was in Edinburgh was when Josh won his Commonwealth title against Dave Ryan, I’ve always given him his props, he’s a fantastic fighter that’s done things the hard way in boxing. But ultimately, he should have three defeats on his record, Regis Prograis beat him, Jack definitely beat him, and Teofimo Lopez most certainly beat him. It’s a fact.
“Getting Josh in the ring was very, very difficult, he didn’t want to box, he didn’t want to box in London, he wanted a massive ice skating rink for the ring, a 22 foot ring, he didn’t want to box in Manchester, we’re finally here, we’ve caught him in a net, and Jack Catterall is whooping him again on April 27.”
Read the scorecards and the reactions from the Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall first fight
