It’s a cracking card in the East Midlands this weekend, topped by an intriguing clash at Super Lightweight between Chorley’s unbeaten Jack Catterall, and the once brash and outspoken, but far more reserved for this fight, Hackney man, O’Hara Davies. BT Sport broadcast live from the Morningside Arena in Leicester. The WBO Intercontinental Title is on the line, but more importantly is a chance to move a realistic step closer to a tilt at current WBO Champion, Maurice Hooker, who excellently took Terry Flanagan’s unbeaten record in Manchester in June. Catterall currently occupies the number two position with the organisation.
Chorley, Lancashire’s Jack Catterall attempts to finally break out, and score a career best win, when he takes on the controversial O’Hara Davies this weekend in a really intriguing contest. A good win for Catterall has usually been followed by two or three marking time fights, so he will hope a win on Saturday will finally open doors for him.
Catterall has been a pro since 2012 and is guided by the newly crowned 2018 trainer of the year in Jamie Moore. In only his tenth fight, he impressively took the unbeaten record of former Great Britain Captain, Thomas Stalker, knocking him down in rounds one and two, before stopping him in eight. This was followed up with four wins over limited continental opposition, including picking up the Title he defends this weekend, by stopping Cesar David Inalef in five, before he handily outpointed decent domestic opposition in Joe Hughes in May 2016.
Four fights later Catterall ended the reign of British Super Lightweight Champion, Tyrone Nurse in Leeds. Catterall won on points against a notoriously tricky adversary. That was in October last year, and Catterall would have been expected to kick on, having also held the WBO Intercontinental Title for some time, but he had to settle for first round wins over Kevin McCauley and Christopher Sebire. In his last contest in Belfast at the end of June, Catterall had Tyrone McKenna down in rounds two and five, which proved crucial, as he won by a single point on two cards, and by four on the third. Catterall will hope to be far more clinical in Leicester.
Hackney’s O’Hara Davies turned pro at the York Hall in April 2014 in four round points win over the Latvian Ivans Levickis. After eight straight wins over various European trial horses, Davies impressively beat Birmingham’s Chris Truman, forcing him to retire at the end of two rounds. Prince Ofotsu was next, at the Copper Box, and the Ghanaian was stopped in three rounds. After three more stoppage wins, Davies was taken the championship distance by the Italian Andrea Scarpa, with Davies winning widely on the cards. He also appeared on the big Haye v Bellew bill at the 02 Arena. He took out Liverpool’s Derry Mathews after a spicy build up in three rounds, however, this wasn’t a prime Mathews any longer, but still a good name on Davies record. The opportunity then came to fight Josh Taylor in a battle of unbeaten fighters in July last year. In a genuine 50/50 fight, Taylor dominated Davies. hammering him to a seventh-round defeat in Glasgow.
Davies returned just two months later, stopping the previously undefeated Tom Farrell in six rounds in Liverpool, in what would prove his final fight under the Matchroom banner. Davies resurfaced with Frank Warren, and after a six-round run out at Elland Road, he chillingly knocked out Paul Kamanga at the O2 Arena, London, in two rounds last time out in June to acquire the WBC International Title.
Prediction
Davies carries massive power, but Catterall is a busy fighter that will keep Davies on his toes. This is a fascinating and tough fight to call, but I favour Catterall’s endeavour and industry to just about win the day over Davies’ power punching. I think this could go right to the wire, with Catterall squeezing home via tight split decision.
