Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall both agree it’s a must-win fight during final press conference
All the quotes from today’s final Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall 2 press conference ahead of their huge rematch at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, this Saturday May 25, shown live on DAZN in the UK and around the world and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Eddie Hearn: “Welcome to Leeds ahead of what is the fight of the year in Britain, Josh Taylor rematching Jack Catterall at the First Direct Arena, live on DAZN around the world.
“A huge moment and huge night on the back of an incredible night in Riyadh last Saturday with the Undisputed Heavyweight World championship, what a fight and what a moment, as we lock this one in before going back to Riyadh for the 5 v 5.
“Incredible times for boxing and huge moments and opportunities for everyone up here on the top table. We have a mega fight for the main event but a great undercard as well.
“Two years on from their undisputed clash in Glasgow, the controversy, the build-up, the animosity, the hatred; whatever you want to call it, it will be settled in the ring on Saturday night.”
Josh Taylor: “I’m good, I’m enjoying the week, the press conference, all the media, it’s just another fight week and on Saturday it’s just another fight, I am looking forward to putting all this to bed and moving on with my career and proving that the last time was just an off night.
“Look at the history of boxing, all the great fighters of the past have taken defeats and come back and won World titles again. Just because you take one defeat, it doesn’t mean you are a finished fighter. I think that’s where boxing has taken a turn for the worse because when a fighter takes a loss everyone says ‘ah he’s finished’, and stuff like that, but in the UFC, there are fighters that have got 20 fights with ten losses but they are still at the top of the game and still fighting, just because you take a loss it doesn’t mean that you are a bad fighter. I still feel that I am at the top of the game and on Saturday, I take care of business and I am back in the picture and winning my titles back.
“It’s been a long two years since the first fight. We’ve been talking about it, there’s been the delays and injuries, but my health comes first, it’s paramount. I’d like to say thank you to you guys when I said about the postponement, for getting it done nice and quickly and only making it four weeks later. I’m looking forward to it and I can’t wait for Saturday.
“The last fight was a stinker from both of us. Jack was doing a lot of holding and spoiling, slowing the pace down, I was very poor as well. I believe the two of us can be a lot better and it will be a better fight for the fans. It’s going to be a barnstormer, we were in the arena on Monday and got a bit of a surprise, it’s right on top of you, so it’s going to be a great experience and atmosphere in there.
(Catterall predicting a KO) “Let him think that, if he wants to do that great, absolutely fantastic, music to my ears. I don’t care how I win this fight, by points or by stoppage, the way I have been performing in the gym, the shots I’ve been throwing and catching people with, if I catch him with these shots it will be over and devastating for him. But we’ll see what happens, it’s just a win for me. This is must-win, this is for bragging rights, this is to say ‘I told you I am better than you’, so I can’t wait.”
Jack Catterall: “I’m ready now. We’ve had the delays and the setbacks, but it’s fight week, we’re in Leeds, it’s exciting, I’ve done all the hard work and we’re two days away from fighting so it’s very real and I’m very much looking forward to it.
“We both know what stands in front of us now. We’re fighting on Saturday, all the talking is done, we’ve had the build up and the fight is sold, obviously we don’t see eye to eye, and we’re both ready to make weight and fight now.
“Like Joe said, I watched the first fight and I didn’t rate it that much. I thought I beat him and I thought I did it comfortably. I think I underperformed, maybe Josh did as well, but we’ve prepared for the best version of Josh and I think over the last two years I’ve improved as a fighter, I’ve been in the gym, I’ve not stepped out of it, I’ve been learning and developing, taking myself away for sparring. I expect a better fight on Saturday. Emotions aside, I think I am the better fighter, and I am going to show that on Saturday night.
“It’s must-win on Saturday and that’s what all my energy is focused on. I don’t want to talk about what is after this. I know you have a great division at 140lbs, there’s a lot of big fights to make and that’s an exciting prospect, but right now all I am thinking about is beating Josh on Saturday. I believe I can take him out on Saturday.”
Cheavon Clarke: “There was a lot of going back and forth with the Chamberlain fight, we were on the front foot but they didn’t want the fight, but Ellis and Queensberry have taken it and now we have a fight.
“Ellis lost in his last fight, but that’s his business. I’ve got to look at him as a dangerous person, because if I had have lost, I’d be thinking ‘you know what, I’m going to show this lot that I am a big deal’. So I am looking at him that he’s more dangerous than if he hadn’t lost. Expect it to be explosive, to be wild, you could say that this could be the main event, no offense to the other guys.
“We operate tactically. People might think that it’s crash, bang, wallop, but there’s method to the madness, and again on Saturday it will be tactical, devastating, and you will be entertained.
“It’s all about being in front of the crowd and entertaining them, and the bigger it is, the better I perform. European, Commonwealth, the world, that’s where we’re going, it’s all about levelling up and we keep doing that with every fight.”
Ellis Zorro: “I lost on December 23, I carried quite a lot of frustration coming out of that fight because I didn’t get a chance to prove what I can really do, but that’s what happens, that’s world-level boxing, we’re small Heavyweights and if you make mistakes you pay the consequences. I’ve been in the gym since January 8, this fight wasn’t really on my radar per se because of the whole Isaac Chamberlain situation, but I’ve been in the gym and staying ready, and when the phone rang, it was a yes from me.
“Coming from small-hall boxing I’ve never really had the opportunity to turn down fights, that’s never been my motive. I just think off the back of boxing Jai Opetaia in Saudi Arabia, doing a six rounder, I’m not sure what that would have done for me or if I’d have been motivated for it. Chev is a good fighter, he brings the action, brings the heat, so it’s a good fight for me to get my teeth into, and it’s the British title, in a sense I am kind of lucky to be coming off a loss and fighting for the British title, so I was never going to say no to that.
“I know what to expect, he’s 8-0 with six knockouts, looking really good recently, he’s got the GB background as well. I don’t think that experience necessarily wins fights, I do have more pro fights than him, I’ve beaten guys with more pro fights than me, so I am taking nothing from that. It’s going to be a really good scrap.
Paddy Donovan: “Lewis is a tough fighter, a good competitor, an experienced former British champion, but he’s up against an amazing talent, and this is the fight I need and the performance I need to show people just how good I am. If I want to be a world-class fighter, these are the opponents I have to beat. I’m sure Lewis is going to test me early in the fight, but I am going to come through with flying colours in tremendous fashion.
“We’re at the stage where every fight is a World title fight for me. This is elite fighting and you need to be ready. This time around, we are ready, we’ve had an amazing camp, we’ve ticked all the boxes and added new things to the game. I am in the best position I’ve been in as a professional fighter and I am ready to put on a big performance.
“It’s obvious he’s not going to stand and box with me, it would be pointless doing that, so his other option is to come straight forward and fight. I’ll be ready and waiting for him and will answer anything that he comes at me with, and I am sure I am going to let him know that I am in the fight.”
Lewis Ritson: “It’s a massive chance and a great card to be on. I’m just happy to be here feeling nice and relaxed, strong and feeling fit for a change going into fight week. I’m looking forward to putting on a good performance on Saturday night.
“I can’t believe the difference to what this fight camp has been like compared to the rest of them, it’s massively really. I know we have a very tough fight on Saturday, Paddy is no mug, but I’m feeling really good and we think we can pull the job off.
“We’re not stupid, we’re not going to outbox Paddy, he’s a great boxer. But he’s never been where we have been before and we think we can pull him into that, and we’re going to find out.”
Gary Cully: “My last three fights have been on three sold-out shows, two of them in my hometown in Dublin and now in Leeds on the biggest card so far this year in the UK so thank you Eddie and Matchroom for giving me the opportunities.
“It’s a big fight for me on Saturday night, Francesco is a high-level competitor, he’s an experienced guy, and it’s the sort of fight that I need to get myself back in the position to push on for major titles.
“The last fight was purely based on a result, getting in there and getting the W. I’ve had a good camp back home in Naas, and I’m focused on a big performance now, and some of them ‘Diva’ performances that got me on the big stage to begin with a couple of years back.”
Francesco Patera: “Thank you for having me, I’m happy to be back. It’s a big fight on a big platform, and it’s very important for me to get back to where I want to be, on the world stage and get a step closer to a World title shot.
“With the years that I have boxed, I feel that I am getting better and more experienced. You keep learning with every fight and when you fight good fighters, you learn a lot. I feel ready for Saturday, training has been very good and I feel good.
“I change my style with my opponent. When I fought Lewis Ritson, we knew he was aggressive and comes forward, so I had to fight on the back foot. If I have to fight on the back foot I will, if I have to go ahead, I will do that too.”
Giorgio Visioli: “I’m really excited to open the show, especially on a massive card like this. Everyone has seen the knockouts but they haven’t seen me do the rounds, and I am very good at boxing, which you will see on Saturday night.
“This is what I want, people with winning records, not journeymen standing there. Guys that are coming to win gives me the opportunities like last time, they come to win and the knockouts come. It’s a tough test on Saturday but I believe I am one of the best prospects in the UK and I’m looking forward to it.
“I’m really looking forward to hopefully boxing in London on July 6, the first time there as a professional. But first of all, we have to get the job done on Saturday and look good, I can’t wait.”
Leli Buttigieg: “I’m getting better with each fight, every time I go back to the gym we’re improving. I want to fight as much as possible and you are going to see a better version of me each time.
“The more rounds the better for me because I like to break my opponents down and get to them. I’ve been sparring world-class fighters like Josh Kelly, everything has been going well and I’m ready to put on a good show on Saturday.
“I’ve been waiting to fight closer to home and sell a load of tickets to put on a good show in front of everyone down in London.”
George Liddard: “I’m very grateful to you and my team for the opportunity. Now it’s my turn to shine. Coming off the back of fighting in Las Vegas, it’s great to be on another big card and it’s must-win fights now. I want to push on for domestic titles by the end of the year.
“I’ve grafted for this fight like no other camp. I work hard in every camp but I’ve really grafted hard. I’m ready, as the rounds go up I think you will see a better George Liddard, when I start applying the pressure, I just don’t think these guys will last the rounds with me, so I am looking forward to these next fights.”