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How Catterall-Eubank compares to Taylor-Essuman
When he walks to the ring this evening, live on DAZN, Jack Catterall may be thinking about his old rival John Taylor.
Catterall had waited in the wings, as mandatory challenger, when the title picture at super lightweight was being consolidated, with Taylor uniting all four belts.
The pair eventually met in February 2011, and many felt that Catterall should have left the ring as undisputed champion of the world. it was,however, Taylor who walked away with a split decision win.
After Taylor had lost all his belts, the pair would meet again in May 2024, Catterall enacting revenge with a unanimous decision win.
But the pair remained intrinsically linked as they moved onto the second phases of their career, both fighters stepping up to welterweight in 2025.
Taylor went first, and what should have been a triumphant homecoming at the OVO Energy Arena in Glasgow ended in a third, consecutive loss for the Scot.
It is possible that Catterall will see in Harlem Eubank something that Josh Taylor saw in Ekow Essuman.
Both Essuman and Eubank harbour ambitions of fighting for world titles, despite largely operating at British level, with their fights against Taylor and Catterall respectively offering opportunities to break into the conversation at the top of the welterweight division.
As Essuman proved, he is an experienced campaigner at 147lbs, just like Eubank. Heading into his fight with Taylor, Essuman boasted 21 wins. Eubank has the same amount of victories, albeit his record without the blemish of defeat like Essuman.
Neither Eubank nor Essuman are opponents that will lay down the welcome mat for welterweight debutants, as Taylor found out the hard way.
Catterall would do well to remember that when he steps into the ring, with any complacency likely to be punished by the unbeaten Eubank.
Aside from the similar profile of their opponents, there is another parallel to draw between Catterall’s next fight, and Taylor’s last.
Just as Taylor returned to familiar surroundings in Glasgow, Mancunian Catterall will once again fight in Manchester, in front of a home crowd that will be in full support of their man.
However, that may add further pressure onto the shoulders of Catterall, who celebrated his 32nd birthday during fight week.
Catterall is not invulnerable in Manchester, as proven by his defeat to Arnold Barboza Jr at the Co-op Arena back in February. That is another similarity between Taylor and Catterall – both fighters entering their welterweight debuts off the back of defeats.
There is no indication that Catterall is taking this fight lightly, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the transition to welterweight will be a simple as chucking on a few more pounds.
Whether Catterall is able to avoid the pitfalls suffered by his old foe, only time will tell.
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