Eddie Hearn says Josh Taylor’s career is over if he suffers a defeat to Jack Catterall in their rematch.
Taylor and Catterall came face-to-face earlier this week during a two-city press tour to promote their highly-anticipated second fight in Leeds on April 27, live on DAZN.
Catterall, who was on the wrong end of a controversial split decision loss to his bitter rival in February 2022, grabbed the Scot by the throat as tensions boiled over following a tense press conference in Edinburgh on Monday and the feuding pair almost came to blows again in Manchester on Tuesday, when the Chorley man smacked Taylor around the head, after he attempted to give mock him by giving him a set of crayons.
Hearn, whose Matchroom Boxing are promoting the 140lb showdown, insists the stakes couldn’t be higher and feels the loser will have nowhere to go.
“Careers are on the line in this fight,” Hearn told BBC Scotland.
“You lose this fight, you’re done. Taylor loses this fight, he’ll never fight again.
“Catterall loses this fight, what’s he going to do? His world title dreams are finished.
“That’s what’s on the line in this fight – not losing a belt, losing your career.
“This is a massive all-British fight, Scotland versus England, the controversy of the first fight, the hatred.
“This is called ‘Hate Runs Deep’. I know hate is a strong word, but as you saw from the head-to-head, this is real.”
Catterall, 30, has bounced back with two successive victories, claiming a unanimous decision over three-weight world champion, Jorge Linares in Liverpool in October.
Former undisputed super lightweight champion, Taylor, suffered his first professional defeat in June, shipping his remaining WBO crown to Teofimo Lopez on points in New York.
Such was the uproar surrounding the decision of the first bout, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Catterall’s MP in Chorley referred the defeat to the Police, a move which was mocked by ‘The Tartan Tornado’ during the first press conference on Monday.
“Why don’t you go and phone the police,” the 33-year-old said.
“What’s his name? Lindsay Hoyle, the MP.
“The House of Parliament. Go and get the police again, you grass.”
