Latest news with #JackCatterall
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Harlem Eubank set for toughest test yet with Jack Catterall fight being finalised
Harlem Eubank 's next step on his quest for a world title shot looks to have been established, with the welterweight set to face former contender Jack Catterall in July. The Ring magazine reports that a deal is close to being finalised for the pair to go head-to-head at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday, July 5. The 31-year-old Eubank, 21-0 (9), moves from light-welterweight to welterweight in November, debuting in the weight class by decisioning Nurali Erdogan. Backed by Wasserman and his uncle Chris Eubank Sr, Eubank garnered further experience at welterweight with a technical knockout of Tyrone McKenna in March, knocking the Scot down three times prior to a stoppage in the 10th round. Currently holder of the IBF inter-continental belt at 147 pounds and previously WBO global champion at super lightweight, Eubank has long spoken of his ambitions of becoming a world champion. Catterall, 30-2 (13), came close to becoming undisputed champion at super lightweight, ending up on the end of a controversial split decision loss to Josh Taylor in February 2022. A rematch two years later saw Catterall gain a unanimous decision victory. The 31-year-old moved on from the super lightweight division after losing to the previously undefeated Arnold Barboza Jr in February 2025 on a split decision. That means the proposed fight with Eubank will be his first at welterweight since three bouts between 2019 and 2020. Based on his opponent's pedigree, Eubank will face the toughest test of his career against Catterall. 2025 has been a busy year for the Eubank family. Chris Eubank Jr earned a unanimous decision victory over Conor Benn in one of the most notable fights of the year, with a rematch rumoured for the autumn.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shock Essuman win casts doubt over Taylor future
Josh Taylor's first foray into the welterweight division ended in a shock defeat by Ekow Essuman in Glasgow, leaving serious questions surrounding the former undisputed world champion's future in the sport. Taylor started brightly and had the Englishman hurt early on, but Essuman grew into the fight and finished the stronger to earn the decision on all three judges' scorecards. It's a career-best victory for the Nottingham fighter, but one that poses questions about what is next for the 34-year-old Scot. Four years on from his crowning glory when he defeated Jose Ramirez in Las Vegas to become the UK's first – and still only – undisputed champion of the four-belt era, Taylor was looking to reinject some momentum back into a career that had stalled. Back-to-back defeats by Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall meant Taylor desperately needed to step up into the welterweight division with a victory. Essuman stuns Taylor by unanimous decision - as it happened Will Taylor reboot career with win over Essuman? Taylor 'back to drawing board' for step up in weight He emerged to a tremendous ovation from the crowd in Glasgow, a city where so many of his greatest nights have taken place, and had the fans off their seats with an aggressive start, catching his 36-year-old opponent with some good shots. Essuman took those well and came out fast in the third round, connecting with a big right hand that snapped Taylor's head back and sent a message he was here to fight. Then came the explosive fourth. Taylor sent Essuman back-pedalling towards the ropes with a peach of a shot, only for Essuman to respond in kind and wobble Taylor with a straight right hand. The middle rounds saw the pace slow significantly, though a nasty cut opened around Taylor's left eye in the seventh, possibly from a clash of heads. Encouraged by the sight of blood running down his opponent's face, Essuman came on strong in the eighth, backing Taylor up and finding gaps in his defence. The underdog was picking his moments to strike well, though Taylor's greater output perhaps just edged the ninth. Essuman's right hand found the bullseye again several times in the 10th as Taylor looked to be tiring. The final round looked like it could be vital on the scorecards, and while the home crowd looked to rouse their hero for one last effort, neither fighter could land the decisive blow. The scorecards of 116-113, 116-112, and 115-113 were met with dismay - though not disbelief - by the fans in the Hydro, who are now left to wonder if they will see the Tartan Tornado in a ring again. Heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma continued his rapid rise with another demonstration of his extraordinary power. The 20-year-old floored the American Mike Balogun three times en route to a second-round stoppage. There was plenty of Scottish interest on the undercard, not least the highly-anticipated featherweight clash between Lee McGregor and Nathaniel Collins. Most expected a tight affair, but Glasgow fighter Collins produced a scintillating performance to drop his Edinburgh rival three times, with McGregor's corner throwing in the towel in round four. Welterweight Reese Lynch, a gold medallist for Scotland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, stepped into the pro ranks in impressive style with a second-round stoppage of Jonatas de Oliveira. Aston Brown became the new Scottish middleweight champion with a devastating first-round knockout of Reece Porter. Former world champion Alex Arthur was ringside to see his son, also Alex, mark his professional debut with a dominant points win over Robbie Chapman in a four-round contest. Drew Limond, son of the late Willie Limond, also prevailed on points. The 19-year-old controlled the four rounds against Argentine fighter Ezequiel Gregores. East Kilbride cruiserweight David Jamieson was taken out in three rounds by the heavy-handed Aloys Junior.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Shock Essuman win casts doubt over Taylor future
Josh Taylor's first foray into the welterweight division ended in a shock defeat by Ekow Essuman in Glasgow, leaving serious questions surrounding the former undisputed world champion's future in the started brightly and had the Englishman hurt early on, but Essuman grew into the fight and finished the stronger to earn the decision on all three judges' a career-best victory for the Nottingham fighter, but one that poses questions about what is next for the years on from his crowning glory when he defeated Jose Ramirez in Las Vegas to become the UK's first – and still only – undisputed champion of the four-belt era, Taylor was looking to reinject some momentum back into a career that had defeats by Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall meant Taylor desperately needed to step up into the welterweight division with a victory. He emerged to a tremendous ovation from the crowd in Glasgow, a city where so many of his greatest nights have taken place, and had the fans off their seats with an aggressive start, catching Essuman with some good took those well and came out fast in the third round, connecting with a big right hand that snapped back Taylor's head back and send a message he was here to came the explosive fourth. Taylor sent Essuman back-pedalling towards the ropes with a peach of a shot, only for Essuman to respond in kind and wobble Taylor with a straight right middle rounds saw the pace slow significantly, though a nasty cut opened around Taylor's left eye in the seventh, possibly from a clash of by the sight of blood running down his opponent's face. Essuman came on strong in the eighth, backing Taylor up and finding gaps in his underdog was picking well his moments to strike, though Taylor's greater output perhaps just edged the right hand found the bullseye again several times in the 10th as Taylor looked to be final round looked like it could be vital on the scorecards, and while the home crowd looked to rouse their hero for one last effort, neither fighter could land the decisive scorecards of 116-113, 116-112, and 115-113 were met with dismay - though not disbelief - by the fans in the Hydro, who are now left to wonder if they will see the Tartan Tornado in a ring again. Tale of the undercard Heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma continued his rapid rise with another demonstration of his extraordinary power. The 20-year-old floored the American Mike Balogun three times en route to a second-round was plenty of Scottish interest on the undercard, not least the highly-anticipated featherweight clash between Lee McGregor and Nathaniel expected a tight affair, but Glasgow fighter Collins produced a scintillating performance to drop his Edinburgh rival three times, with McGregor's corner throwing in the towel in round Reese Lynch, a gold medallist for Scotland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, stepped into the pro ranks in impressive style with a second-round stoppage of Jonatas de Brown became the new Scottish middleweight champion with a devastating first-round knockout of Reece world champion Alex Arthur was ringside to see his son, also Alex, mark his professional debut with a dominant points win over Robbie Chapman in a four-round Limond, son of the late Willie Limond, also prevailed on points. The 19-year-old controlled the four rounds against Argentine fighter Ezequiel Kilbride cruiserweight David Jamieson was taken out in three rounds by the heavy-handed Aloys Junior.
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman LIVE RESULTS: Taylor homecoming ends in HUGE DRAMA after Itauma scores DEVASTATING win
EKOW ESSUMAN left Josh Taylor STUNNED after scoring a career best win in Scotland! The Engine handed Taylor a THIRD successive defeat with a 116-113, 116-112, 115-113 unanimous win that leaves the former unified champion at a major crossroads. It was a deserved win for Essuman, who came on strong in the later rounds what was one of the best performances of his career. Scots hero Taylor needed a win to revive his own career after suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall - it is unclear where he now goes from here. On the undercard, highly-rated heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma scored a BRUTAL second round KO of Mike Balogun, having dropped him THREE times inside two rounds. Today, 18:02 By Nyle Smith Welcome Josh Taylor takes on Ekow Essuman in a Scottish homecoming fight TONIGHT! Taylor is looking to rectify back-to-back defeats as he takes on 36-year-old Essuman. 'The Tartan Tornado' Taylor comes into the clash off the back of two losses, having been beaten by Teofimo Lopez before losing his rematch to Jack Catterall in May 2024. Ekow 'The Engine' Essuman comes into the bout with a record of 21-1-0, with eight of his 21 victories coming by KO. Essuman's only defeat came at the hands of Harry Scarff in 2023, losing by unanimous decision in Manchester, meaning Taylor will look to be the first man to KO Essuman to get back to form. The Engine in turn looks to be the first man to KO Taylor, with both of his defeats coming by unanimous decision, with whoever can score the victory becoming the WBO international welterweight champion. But before this huge fight, there are several thrilling bouts on the undercard.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Will Taylor reboot career with win over Essuman?
Just more than four years to the day since Josh Taylor's finest hour, the Scot finds himself back at the bottom of the mountain starting out all over reboot of a career that scaled the heights then hit the skids starts at the Hydro in Glasgow on Saturday night, when Taylor faces the unheralded Ekow Essuman. He has moved up to welterweight, changed promotor and says he has the fire back in his belly. This will be our first look, according to the man himself, at Josh Taylor night in Las Vegas in May 2021 when Taylor defeated Jose Ramirez to become the first – and so far only – fighter from the UK to capture all four belts in one division remains fresh in the mind, but how much of that Taylor is still there? He is 34 now and the years between then and now have not been kind to him. The big homecoming fight in February 2022 against Jack Catterall was supposed to be a springboard to a mega-fight with one of the sport's superstars. The great Terence Crawford seemed an achievable match to be made at that beat Catterall with the benefit of some highly controversial judges' scorecards and, to this day, still receives flak about it. He went from one of the hottest fighters on the planet to a lightning rod for criticism in one night. Rarely has a winner lost so Lopez was too good when taking the last of Taylor's four world titles in June 2023 in New York and Catterall righted the wrongs with a points win when the pair re-matched in Leeds last and inactivity has been a plague on Taylor's career these past few years. Three fights in four years is nowhere near busy move up to welterweight has come later than it should and the first obstacle on the road to becoming a two-weight world champion is is not a name to set pulses racing, but the Englishman represents a decent test in Taylor's first foray in the 147lbs is a tough, durable fighter – as his nickname 'the Engine' suggests – and, while he is undoubtedly limited in comparison to most of the fighters Taylor has faced in recent years, he will take a bit of is one thing, looking good while doing so is another, and Taylor will have to do both to start building the sort of momentum that demands a shot at one of the champions of the division - Mario Barrios, Jaron Ennis or Brian Norman he entered the division as the undisputed champion four years ago, Taylor would have done so as one of the top dogs and in prime position to make some lucrative fights across the now, it is unlikely any of that American trio of champions has a bout with the Tartan Tornado in their short or long-term has to find a way to change that, to establish himself as a credible force and commercial draw in the division. He has been written off in various quarters, many believing that his crowning moment against Ramirez was the peak and everything since has been a rapid tumble from the he have another two or three big performances in him? Time is slipping away and, unless he demonstrates some of the old skill, timing and downright badness that he displayed in that epic run to become undisputed champ, it will be hard to escape the feeling that Taylor is simply fighting a losing battle to get back to the lofty heights he once spoke this week about no longer having the burden of an expectant nation resting on his shoulders and how that had been a weight lifted. You can bet he would love nothing better than to get it all back – the expectation, the pressure, the plaudits. That would mean he is back operating at the level he has always wanted to be, where he feels he belongs - and where he believes he can get to once again.
