Jack Catterall calls Josh Taylor “embarrassing” for continuing to call himself undisputed champion

Jack Catterall and Josh Taylor are still going at one another on social media, with Catterall saying it’s “embarrassing” that Taylor still calls himself undisputed champion at 140 lbs, following their hugely controversial fight in February.

Taylor won a split decision that night in Glasgow, which was met with disgust not just by fans or media, but by many inside of boxing, as well. The pretty unanimous belief was that Catterall deserved the win, which would have been a major upset.

Catterall has since edited his original post on Instagram, but the message was, “Josh, wake up, kid. It’s actually embarrassing you’re still calling yourself undisputed and believing it.”

Taylor’s reply has not been edited. In full, he said to Catterall, “Where are the belts? OK, enough said, facts are facts. I get the fact that you feel you won the fight and are gutted you never got the win, but you didn’t, end of. I’ll happily fight you and you can try again next time.”

Taylor (19-0, 13 KO) has received orders from the WBA to fight Alberto Puello and the WBC to fight Jose Zepeda. TGB Promotions won a purse bid for the Puello fight, with nobody else bidding because nobody thinks the fight is going to happen. Taylor is still expected to vacate all four belts and move to 147, and has said prior he’d rematch Catterall at that weight.

Of course, that fight wouldn’t get Catterall (26-1, 13 KO) the belts he believes belong to him. And, in an extreme example of sanctioning body nonsense, Catterall may not get to fight for any of the vacated titles.

As it stands now, best guesses is the WBA belt would be Puello vs Ismael Barroso, the WBC would be Zepeda vs Jose Ramirez or Regis Prograis, the IBF would be Subriel Matias vs Jeremias Ponce, and the WBO would be Liam Paro vs Jose Ramirez or, possibly, Catterall, but Catterall would need some help there from Ramirez.

And Top Rank are in a great position to make two vacant world title fights for their stable if Ramirez passes on the WBC to fight for the WBO instead, in what everyone would believe is an easier matchup with Paro instead of Zepeda.

It’s really a lousy situation for Catterall, who doesn’t have — with respect to Probellum trying to grow — a major power promoter backing him, which always helps. For instance, Top Rank might be able to get two of these belts in their stable for Zepeda and Ramirez, or at the very least chances for them.

It’s a rotten situation for Catterall, who should have scored a major upset and put himself into the history books as undisputed champion in February. Instead, he may have to take a tune-up fight just to stay busy — which seems the plan — and cross his fingers that another title shot will come.