Taylor v Catterall The Gloves are off - Just like Froch v Groves 1

Catterall seems to be winding Taylor up just by suggesting he can win...Taylor seems to resent being put in the same breath as him..

Reminds me of Froch v Groves...Where Froch with delusions of grandeur resented the quiet confidence of his inexperienced challenger.....Even at the face off at the final presser Taylor is making digs out of the side of his mouth while both are looking straight forward at the crowd like Froch did v Groves.

Taylor seems to be very narcissistic like Froch and in front of his own fans for the first time in two years will desperately want to impress..and there lies opportunity...

Thought Catterall had no chance but seeing Taylor today and in the gloves are off...I think he has a chance...

Taylor is obviously resentful at sharing a ring and peed off by Catterall 's laid back demeanor..

Harris v Maussa....Norris v Brown 1...Both fights where Champions took liberties and looked to impress..

Taylor v Catterall...Certainly a carbon copy of Froch v Groves 1..Let's hope the fight turns out the same..

Expect Taylor to win but...More interesting perhaps than I first thought..

I'm not so sure, Truss.

Taylor usually comes across a little vain and childish in the run up to his fights. Unlike Froch, who had realistically achieved almost all he could by 2013 and who was on borrowed time, I see a very focussed and motivated fighter in Taylor, who won't make the mistake Froch seems to have made with Groves first time round and underestimate his opponent. I think Taylor is still in love with the sport right now and wants to press on and forge a real legacy in the next couple of years or so.

I also don't see the comparisons between Catterall and Groves, at least not in the way they present themselves. They both might have a steely inner confidence, but Groves loved the camera and could really talk the talk. Catterall isn't that kind of personality and I don't think he's really said anything which has got under Taylor's skin or planted any uncomfortably seeds of doubt in his mind, like Groves did with his forensic dissection of Froch's record or his mocking of Froch's somewhat needy persona.

I'm actually not that taken in by Catterall's confidence and I think Taylor has more likely scored a psychological blow over him than vice versa....But hey, there's no science behind that thinking of mine and it's a field I know nowt about. Ultimately it'll be about levels, and I suspect Catterall will get a stern reminder of that at the weekend. But he deserves his shot, has waited patiently for it and by all accounts is a great lad, so I hope he puts up a good show.

Anyone else think Prograis beat Taylor?

Taylor says Catterall is getting a shortcut to the titles. Slightly confused by the Scot’s viewpoint. Taylor says ‘I won them the hard way’.
If you unify the belts, obviously the next guy gets a shot at all of them. It’s common logic.

Herman Jaeger wrote:Anyone else think Prograis beat Taylor?

I had it a draw. Tremendous fight and very close. The 117-112 card was abysmal and took just a little of the shine off. Interesting that the Sky team calling the fight seemed to have it close to Prograis almost to a man, while the majority of fans seemed to think Taylor had done enough. Taylor winning isn't unreasonable by any means, but he did get the rub of the green as the UK fighter, you could argue.

Not sure why there hasn't been more clamour for a rematch - including from Prograis himself, oddly enough. Last interview I watched with him he said he wants another fight against Taylor, but sees it happening further down the line at 147. Says he expects Taylor to move up soon and his aim is to become a two-time champion at 140 and then make the rematch at the higher weight. In the immediate future he seems more interested in Tank Davis.

I do understand what Taylor is saying, Catterall hasn't earned his shot at the titles, Ohara Davies is the only name he's beaten and that was some time ago now. You look at the route Taylor took and it's worlds apart; Davies, Vazquez, Postol and Martin before he got a world title shot. Take out the Scotland vs England aspect and it's a typical WBO title defence.

Froch didn't believe Groves belonged in the same ring as him and I get the same vibe here....Chris is right that Groves was a master manipulator and Catterall is the opposite..

But I thought it interesting that after the Nelson thing he got up and made a conscious effort to seek out Catterall and tell him Boxing him was an easy night..Catterall had just shook his hand and was asking the time..Taylor felt a need to confront him..

Massive gulf in talent and for me Taylor is top 4 p4p....But I think he could take liberties....

We will see.. I wanted Prograis to beat Taylor...But I had Taylor sneaking it...Also think an ambitios and unbeaten O'Hara Davies is a terrific win...Davies was riding a wave back then..

Cheers..

The thing is though Truss; Taylor is a better boxer than Froch ever was and Catterall is levels below Groves, I don't see any real comparison between the two fights so the pre fight nonsense isn't a factor for me.

All a bit unsavoury when you grab another man by the throat but I guess it’s bravado from the challenger.
Is Taylor planning to move up to 147 after tomorrow’s fight?

Taylor walked across and stuck his head in his face...Anyone else does the same thing..Jeffrey.

I expect Taylor to win fairly comfortably but Norris beat Brown by shutout in a rematch...Took him lightly in the first fight and was decked by a well placed jab in the first and his legs never recovered.

If the most talented fighter always won we would never have upsets...Catterall lacks power but so did Maussa at 140 and Brown at 154.

Resentment and aiming to please his raucous fans may work against Taylor.....But...

Taylor by harder than expected TKO 8..

Jeff Navarro wrote:All a bit unsavoury when you grab another man by the throat but I guess it’s bravado from the challenger.
Is Taylor planning to move up to 147 after tomorrow’s fight?

I wouldn't be surprised if this is Taylor's last fight as a Light-Welter, Jeff. He hasn't fully committed either way, but he spoke after the Ramirez about how hard it had been to get down to ten stone, and as we know there have been tentative suggestions that he could find his way into a ring against Crawford soon.

Crawford's split from Top Rank put a spanner in the works there, and Taylor might have to be quick as Crawford was saying not long ago that if he can't force a Spence fight very soon he may move up to 154 to target the winner of the Castano-Charlo rematch. Mind you, a lot of fighters say that stuff.

The fact that Crawford was part of Khan's entourage last week and spent some time over in the UK gave me hope (almost certainly deluded hope, of course) that he may have been putting the feelers out to Sky, Shalom, Boxxer etc. to see if there could be some collaboration there down the line. He also made a video after getting back to the States saying that he loves the UK fans and he wants to come back and fight here again soon like he did against Burns back in the day.... But once again, a lot of fighters say this kind of stuff.

Crawford coming to the UK to risk his title against Taylor would be a proper dream fight for me. Next-to no chance of it happening, like, but a man can dream.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Froch didn't believe Groves belonged in the same ring as him and I get the same vibe here....Chris is right that Groves was a master manipulator and Catterall is the opposite..

But I thought it interesting that after the Nelson thing he got up and made a conscious effort to seek out Catterall and tell him Boxing him was an easy night..Catterall had just shook his hand and was asking the time..Taylor felt a need to confront him..

Massive gulf in talent and for me Taylor is top 4 p4p....But I think he could take liberties....

We will see.. I wanted Prograis to beat Taylor...But I had Taylor sneaking it...Also think an ambitios and unbeaten O'Hara Davies is a terrific win...Davies was riding a wave back then..

Cheers..

Thing is, Groves had a point- Froch had slowed and Groves  backed up his cheek by embarrassing him.
Taylor has quite a few years on him yet.

I think the Lopez-Kambosos fight was a timely reminder to Taylor that upsets do happen. He won't have taken Catterall too lightly - he's too professional for that. I think it will be fairly one-sided and we're probably looking at a TKO by end of 7 myself. I just don't see what Catterall can do to stop that.

Going to have to get a better matchmaker SKY for their undercards.

This week and last week it's like they got male prostitutes off the street to be feasted on.

Some guy had a 2-20 record last week and found himself on PPV.

In fairness to Hearn he match-maked better than this.

You can get cheap undercards but find journeymen that have some nous.

That Scottish Heavy fight was....

Cut SKY some slack...Good to see Boxing back and meaningful stuff too..

But they need a lower bill matchmaker and soon.

An undercard needs some name recognition at the very least; Taylor isn't a big enough name to carry a card on his own.

Confident start by the underdog.

Catterall looks like the significantly bigger man and seems to be making a difference inside.

This fight is not going as I expected!!! Taylor seems to 'eager' and he is shipping rounds. Strangely he needs to take risks now, but his over eagerness has cost him so far. 5-1 after 6 to Catterall for me.

In the four belt era the undisputed title has only been defended twice, both times against British fighters.

Did not see this happening, Taylor has won what one round?

Taylor snuck the 7th for me. Landed better shots and it's getting scrappy, so 5-2 for me. Catterall with the knockdown early in 8th and fight looks like it could be over, Catterall with a bizarre performance for the rest of the round though. Catterall by 5 at least with 4 to go tho.

86-84 Catterall...

You will never have a better chance to be a Star Son..

Take it..

Taylor has won 9th, but he's still at least 4 behind with 3 to play. Catterall seems to have got 'chanpionship' or 'imposter' syndrome, since the KD he's been average and nervous.

10th is close, might edge toward Taylor and Catterall had a point deduction (unfairly for me) Catterall two ahead with two to IMO.

Wow..its close

11th is close, but I think Taylor snuck it. Taylor then loses a point for impetuous behaviour, so I think he he needs a KD or KO now.

Catterall for me..

12th was so so for me. I have Catterall by 2.

Catterall by 117-108. What a shock, never actually seen Catterall before.

Utter filth of a fight. Referee very eager to talk.

Have a feeling the judges are going to give this to Taylor...

Wow, that's a disgrace. Complete and utter. Lewis-Holyfield levels of a fix.

How in the actual flying f**k do you score that 114-111 for Taylor?

Ian John Lewis..Taylor by 3 points.

How is this guy let near a boxing ring..

Poor..

What a joke.

That's a poor decision. I had it by 2 to Catterall and that looks generous compared to other people on the board and on the commentary. It wasn't the shot show the Sky Commentary made it out to me during the fight, but Catterall win that.

Most disgusting decision I’ve ever seen

115-110 to Catterall is about as close as you can make that. Taylor won no more than four rounds.

I must admit like Soul...I figured it was coming..

So sorry for Catterall...Only good thing is Taylor will blame the weight and move up...So he should get a shot at a Vacant belt..

What a good performance.

Shocking scorecards Catterall got robbed. Taylor should avoid Crawford.

Great fight. As a not very big boxing fan I enjoyed that.

Very bad decision though.

I've seen way worse Herman Jaeger, once saw a guy school someone for 10 rounds and KO him half way through the fight and still walk away with a draw..... Martinez v Cintron for anyone interested.

So Ian John Lewis gave Taylor eight rounds?

I gave Taylor two, could make a case for four, would be a stretch to make five, but there's no way you can legitimately make it eight.

Ian John Lewis has been a joke for a longtime..

Disgraceful verdict. I know I've ranted about IJL for years (as have many) but he's basically beyond parody at this stage. Why is that man still officiating at the highest level?

Catterall has been absolutely hosed there.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:I must admit like Soul...I figured it was coming..

So sorry for Catterall...Only good thing is Taylor will blame the weight and move up...So he should get a shot at a Vacant belt..

What a good performance.

It was so blindingly obvious that it was coming, reminds me of Burns getting a draw against Beltran back in 2013.

A timely reminder of why I don’t bother watching boxing

Rigged beyond belief

Never been so sickened

This is where boxing needs an appeal system, there are close decisions, there are contentious decisions and then there are decisions that are just plain wrong.

I had it closer than some, but IJL must have been giving Taylor 'plenty' of rounds in the first half of the fight and that's just bizarre.

I instantly want to see Taylor step up and get knocked the **** out by Crawford because based on that he's not surviving five rounds.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:A timely reminder of why I don’t bother watching boxing

Rigged beyond belief

Almost as rigged as F1!