He left Chorley for Philadelphia - Here’s why Jack Catterall’s career could change forever

After a shaky start, the United Kingdom and the United States of America have been close allies for well over a century. It’s a relationship that has stood the test of time and was underlined by Donald Trump’s recent visit to the UK.

The 'special relationship' between the two nations first came into popular usage after the term was used in a banger of a 1946 speech by legendary heavyweight former Brit prime minister Winston Churchill.

In recent months another, far more surprising 'special relationship' has been developing between the UK and USA in professional boxing.

Jack Catterall’s decision to hook up with Derek ‘Bozy’ Ennis came right out of leftfield. Even by the crazy standards of boxing in 2025, this is an unlikely alliance.

Catterall might be the unluckiest active fighter on planet earth.

The Chorley stylist challenged Josh Taylor for the undisputed light-welterweight title in 2022. He was widely viewed to have done enough to win the belts, knocking Taylor down in Round 8 while the Scot also lost a point in Round 11 for hitting after the bell.

Yet despite many observers, commentators, fighters and fans arguing that Catterall outboxed Taylor, two judges scored the fight for ‘The Tartan Tornado’, who kept the belts via rancorous split decision.

The decision caused such a stir at the time that afterwards the British Boxing Board of Control – an organisation not known for making rash decisions - downgraded one of the judges (Ian John-Lewis) over the scoring “margin” of his card.

Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing.

‘El Gato’ fought on after this perceived major injustice, racking up the wins (including a revenge victory over Taylor in a non-title fight) before losing another contentious split decision to Arnold Barboza Jr earlier this year, a loss that ultimately denied Catterall another world title fight. It was close again, and many thought it could’ve gone his way.

He didn’t look great in his last fight against Harlem Eubank in July, winning a technical decision after an accidental clash of heads in the sixth round of that one led to severe cuts for both fighters, with the fight being stopped before the seventh round could begin.

Ergo his next fight - with Ekow Essuman at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jnr-Conor Benn 2  on November 15 – has a make or break feel to it.

Will gamble turn Catterall's luck around?

So, at the age of 32, he has made the decision to leave long-time trainers Jamie Moore and Nigel Travers and relocate from his home in Chorley to Philadelphia.

It’s a huge gamble, but nobody can knock Catterall for acting on his desires and pursuing his goals, rather than letting opportunities pass by and living with regrets about what might have been.

‘Don’t die wondering’ as the old saying goes, and it’s going to be interesting to see how he looks after working a full camp with ‘Bozy’ Ennis.

What we do know is he won’t be short of quality sparring. ‘Bozy’ trains his son – brilliant former welterweight boss Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis – as well as the mercurial Cuban lightweight Andy Cruz and two-weight world champion Stephen Fulton.

I’d love to be a fly on the wall as ‘El Gato’ – with his broad Lancashire accent - adjusts to their communication style in the gym and begins to understand local Philly nuances. But the beauty of boxing is that the language of violence is universal, and so it’s what the 31-2 (13) Catterall picks up in the gym and transfers to the ring that is going to be most important.

Catterall’s new trainer has alluded that he is prioritising improving the welterweight’s defence, while also making his style more aggressive and versatile.

With Bozy’s roster, the Englishman will be guaranteed elite sparring, and he should be able to soak up the knowledge and ‘feel-good factor’ of a thriving gym given he is currently out of his comfort zone and away from the distractions of home life.

While certainly a gamble, this switch doesn’t feel desperate or poorly timed.

A change of scene and personnel doesn’t always pay off. Moore and Travers are a tight team, and a long-term trainer understands the fighter’s habits, strengths, weaknesses, and psychology better than anyone else. That’s not easily replaced.

A different trainer may introduce techniques or strategies a fighter has never developed before, leaving him caught between styles. Think about the momentum shifts in Anthony Joshua’s career after the early, consistent successes with Robert McCracken.

Yet sometimes change is inevitable, and a fighter’s decision is rewarded.   

Motivation is often a key factor. It’s a fact of life that sometimes boxers’ plateau under the same coach. A new voice in the corner can reignite hunger and push them harder.

New scene, new challenge, new hope 

If the chemistry and style match, it can often elevate a fighter to new heights. This is what Catterall – who is entering the winter of his career – will be hoping.

A trainer who fits the fighter’s natural strengths can unlock new levels - note Tyson Fury’s transformation under SugarHill Steward from slick boxer to KO puncher.

Many fighters find a “second wind” after switching, especially later in their careers when reinvention is necessary.

‘El Gato’ knows he probably has one last run at the welterweight crown, and ‘Bozy’ knows a bit about welterweights; his son was the best 147 fighter on the planet before his recent move up to junior-middleweight.

Catterall is regarded as one of Britain's best active boxers who has not yet won a world title, and so you cannot but admire his decision to up sticks and try to better himself over the pond. It’s his career. It’s his choice and for me it shows just how much he wants to be a champion.

Jack and ‘Bozy’ are indeed strange bedfellows but together they may be able to reverse Catterall’s boxing's fortunes and finally secure him that elusive world title belt that his talents clearly deserve.