Bitter rivals Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall put hatred aside momentarily for surprisingly friendly handshake
The two super lightweight rivals, Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall, shook hands a day after they were separated by security at a heated press conference, with hatred building ahead of their rematch.
Taking place at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on April 27, the fight will give Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) a chance to avenge the only blemish on his record.
Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs), who won the first fight via a controversial split decision back in 2022, retained his undisputed status at super lightweight.
Now, though, with no titles on the line, the main driving force motivating both fighters is pride, with both believing they won their first encounter.
After two fiery press conferences – the first in Edinburgh on Monday and the second in Manchester on Tuesday – it was beginning to look like we had a blockbuster British rivalry on our hands, with the animosity putting the two fighters on the brink of exchanging blows.
Scotsman Taylor even told Catterall to “Keep your hands to yourself you little rat” after the constant physicality.
However, while security had to intervene during a few fiery moments in the preceding days, they were able to take a step back in the talkSPORT studio on Wednesday, when Taylor and Catterall, after encouraged by presenter Jim White, agreed to a handshake in an unexpected show of respect.
Regardless, the pair will no doubt be relishing the thought of settling their differences once and for all in the ring but, until then, they will have to continue the verbal warfare, which will almost certainly be reignited during their imminent face-to-face on DAZN.
It was a surprise to many fans that Taylor agreed to take the rematch at 140 lbs, as his last performance, which resulted in a career-first defeat at the hands of Teofimo Lopez, signified that a move up to welterweight was almost certain.
But the Scotsman backs himself to do the business again, this time on neutral territory.