Jack Catterall’s world title hopes were dealt a blow with a split-decision defeat to Arnold Barboza Jr. in Manchester. Barboza claimed the WBO interim belt in a close fight where neither fighter truly dominated.
Catterall, 31, showed flashes of brilliance but Barboza, 33, finished rounds stronger. Two judges scored the bout 115-113 for Barboza, with one going in Catterall’s favour.
This is Catterall’s second loss in 33 fights. Barboza now has 180 days to challenge WBO champion Teofimo Lopez.
“Tough, close fight. No excuses, congratulations to Barboza,” said Catterall.
A lively crowd saw a cautious opening, with Catterall landing cleaner punches early. Barboza responded, cutting off the ring and landing body shots. Catterall’s counter-punching style didn’t always make for a thrilling watch. A late knockdown call against Barboza, deemed a slip, didn’t go Catterall’s way.
“I hope he fights for the world title and beats Teofimo,” Catterall commented. “Back to the gym for me.” This loss is a setback after recent wins against top fighters. Catterall’s near-miss against Josh Taylor still lingers, and if he doesn’t win a world title, that controversial loss may be his defining moment.
What next for Jack Catterall?
Jack Catterall’s has proved himself at world level, and a tight loss to Barboza doesn’t diminish that. He needs and deserves to get right back in the mix with the top of the division and the big name fights.
Several good options exist, including some readily available matchups. Two prominent possibilities, both under the Matchroom Boxing banner, are Liam Paro and George Kambosos Jr.
Liam Paro – Paro, like Catterall, is a southpaw and a highly-ranked light-welterweight also coming off a loss against Richardson Hitchins back in December.
Both fighters are looking to rebound after recent setbacks, adding extra spice to the potential showdown. Stylistically, it could be a technical fight, pitting Paro’s aggressive style against Catterall’s more measured, counter-punching approach. A win for either fighter would significantly boost their world title credentials. Being a Matchroom stablemate, this fight should be relatively easy to arrange.
George Kambosos Jr.– This is arguably the bigger name fight, offering Catterall a chance to test himself against a former unified lightweight champion. While Kambosos has campaigned at lightweight, he has also fought at light-welterweight, making this a realistic matchup. Kambosos is known for his all-action style and possesses decent power and would be a winnable fight for Catterall. Kambosos is out on the 22nd March so fits nicely in terms of timelines and camps. Again, both fighters being with Matchroom makes this a relatively straightforward fight to make.
