The Co Op Live Arena in Manchester hosts its first boxing card this Saturday night, and in its first headliner, Jack Catterall takes on former world champion Regis Prograis over twelve rounds at super lightweight, with the winner in line to face IBF champion, Liam Paro.
Matchroom promote Catterall vs Prograis, and DAZN screen the bill live.
Catterall (29-1, 13 KOs) built himself a lofty ranking with the WBO, thanks to wins against Tyrone McKenna (UD10) and O’Hara Davies (UD12), and 2022 saw him finally get his shot at world honours, going for the undisputed title against Scotland’s Josh Taylor.
Catterall dropped Taylor, and looked to have done enough to get the nod, but Taylor retained by split decision in Glasgow. ‘El Gato’ waited and waited for a rematch, with several dates going by the wayside, and 2023 saw Catterall bank points wins against Darragh Foley and Jorge Linares, before he finally got Taylor in the ring for their sequel in May in Leeds.
It was another scrappy affair, but Catterall did more than enough to take a clear win on the scorecards, and gave him long-awaited redemption.
It will be Texas-based Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs) who now stands in the Chorley man’s way to the world title. ‘Rougarou’ reigned as WBA champion, but lost his title and unbeaten record to the aforementioned Josh Taylor in 2019, dropping a razor-thin majority decision, which was also the final of the World Boxing Super Series.
Three straight wins moved him back into contention, and he captured the vacant WBC title by knocking Jose Zepeda out in eleven in November 2022,but after one defence, Prograis was dropped on the way to a landslide points loss to Devin Haney last December.
Prediction: The Haney fight will have taken a lot out of Prograis, and it remains to be seen the ambition he has left in the sport. I think the fresher and more hungry Catterall can pull away down the stretch to record a clear points win.
Belotti and Gomez battle for British honours
The British and Commonwealth super featherweight titles are on the line on the undercard, as Reece Bellotti (19-5, 14 KOs) defends against Michael Gomez Jr (21-1, 6 KOs).
Bellotti is rejuvenated after four times in five outings between 2018 and 2021, and he is on a run of five straight wins, taking the vacant Commonwealth crown by retiring Aqib Fiaz after eight in October last year, and he added the British belt by taking a points win over Liam Dillon four months later.
‘Bomber’ was last seen in July, widely outscoring Levi Giles. Gomez is also in good form, winning his last dozen since losing to Henry Janes in March 2019, and he comes in as the English champion, last defending in April, halting Kane Baker in six.
Prediction: This is a cracking looking trade fight, and I lean towards the younger Gomez to follow in his dad’s footsteps, and take the title via very close decision.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 @MichaelGomezJnr right hand last time out 🌬#CatterallPrograis | Oct 26 | Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/Q3WRLddZTJ
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 16, 2024
Full undercard preview
2020 Olympian Pat McCormack (5-0, 4 KOs) continues his education, and the Sunderland native should be able to halt Williams Andres Herrera (16-3, KO7) inside their ten round scheduled distance at welterweight.
In a rematch at super lightweight, Campbell Hatton (14-1, 5 KOs) can make the adjustments needed to gain revenge against Jimmy Joe Flint (14-2-2, KO3), but it could be a close one on the cards over ten rounds.
Featherweight talent Joe McGrail (10-0, 5 KOs) can take an early win in his meeting with Lewis Morris (8-2, KO1), which is McGrail’s first scheduled ten rounder, and Junaid Bostan (9-0, 7 KOs) should take victory before the final bell in his super welterweight eight rounder with Argentina’s Maico Sommariva (9-4-1, 8 KOs).
Also at super welterweight, William Crolla (5-0, 4 KOs) can win early for the fifth straight contest, against Lorenzo Grasso (6-2, 1 KOs). Their clash is set for six.
