Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
Bang, bang, bang goes Catterall. Then a big body shot from Taylor. Ouch.
For a second Catterall looks a bit gassed but he keeps swinging.
Taylor is biding his time, it's patient stuff as he waits to pounce.
A quiet round in comparison to the previous three, but Catterall ends strong.
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on Radio 5 Live
I gave Taylor that round. Catterall is still controlling things but he's upped the tempo that round.
He's got to double up his attacks. The slower pace suits Catterall.
That lump above Taylor's right eye is getting bigger...
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
Another clash of heads right at the start of round three.
A lump looks to be appearing on the head of Taylor, one to watch.
The fight threatens to properly ignite as both land hard-hitting blows.
A point of the finger to Taylor from the referee for a punch on the back of Catterall's head comes towards the end of the round.
This is superb.
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on Radio 5 Live
Image source, Getty ImagesIt was a closer round but I don't think Taylor won the second, Catterall scored better shots.
Catterall's calling the pace, and occasionally he'll counter attack. He's controlling the pace and tempo, that's clever boxing and for me Taylor's struggling.
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
Josh Taylor probably thinks he won the round in the first minute and a half but I think Catterall came out at the end.
Quality and class. I still want to see Taylor get the jab working.
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
Impressive stuff again from Catterall at the start of the second round.
Chants of 'Chorley, Chorley' ring around the arena.
There isn't much urgency from Taylor, then bang.
A clash of heads halts the round, which ends brilliantly as both fighters exchange bruising combinations.
Gripping stuff in Leeds.
Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live
Every single second of that round was intense.
Every punch was meant, there was no feeling, no touching.
That Catterall left cross coming in, may not have been full power but that was a good shot.
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
Catterall starts off on the front foot, catching Taylor with a jab almost instantly.
That gets the crowd roaring. Some noise.
Taylor is patient and gets a hook to the body but Catterall responds with a couple of big left hands.
Good start from the Englishman.
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
The first bell sounds and we are off!
Both fighters are in the ring. The announcer is doing his stuff.
We're just minutes away...
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on Radio 5 Live
Taylor looks lean and mean, a little bit gaunt in the face.
He looks confident, he's been shadowboxing all the way to the ring. They both look up for this.
And now here comes Josh Taylor, walking out to Cigarettes & Alcohol.
Liam Gallagher would be proud of his swagger - and the song choice, of course.
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, Getty ImagesInactivity has been a blight on both fighters since their first bout.
Taylor has been in the ring only once since then, a points defeat at the hands of American star Teofimo Lopez in New York in June last year.
It has been three years since Taylor performed to anything like his best - when he beat Jose Ramirez in Las Vegas to become the first undisputed champion from Britain in the four-belt era – and we are left to wonder if the 33-year-old is still capable of reaching his previous heights.
Catterall has fought just twice since the loss to Taylor, with points victories over Darragh Foley and a 37-year-old Jorge Linares falling firmly into the solid rather than spectacular category.
Jack Catterall is first to make his way to the ring.
The boos are surprisingly loud but they all soon turn into singing.
Stand By Me is his walk out tune of choice. A belter, to be fair.
Here we go, then.
The MC is doing his best to whip up the crowd.
Don't think it's needed, mate.
Sweet Caroline is getting belted out, which automatically means we're close.
Two minutes until the ring walks, apparently.
Hold tight, folks.
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
Richie Woodhall
Former boxing world champion on Radio 5 Live
Image source, Getty ImagesWe're all expecting a different Josh Taylor tonight.
I'm expecting him to definitely go up a level and show us how good he is.
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
DAZN commentator and former BBC Boxing Correspondent Mike Costello: "There is a danger Taylor will be remembered as much for controversy as his brilliant achievements.
"I think that source of motivation will give him the edge in another tight fight."
Former super-welterweight world champion Hannah Rankin: "I'm going with my countryman Taylor to win this one on a late stoppage.
"I think he looks better at the weight than their first encounter and I anticipate him using his size when he’s fully refuelled more to his advantage.
"The animosity between the two is definitely going to add fireworks. This is most emotionally involved we’ve seen Catterall and I can see this making him more reckless to prove a point and potentially walking onto a big shot later in the fight."
Former super featherweight champion Barry Jones: "At his peak, Taylor was near unstoppable but in the last fight Catterall slowed the pace down and made Taylor look pedestrian at times.
"Catterall can get on his back foot, at his tempo, and pick his shots sharply and neatly.
"Taylor has been my favourite UK fighter in such a long time, but I feel he loses a close and highly competitive 12-round decision."
Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall 2
Eddie Hearn
Fight promoter speaking to BBC Scotland
No one will want to leave it to the scorecards. I think we'll get a real fight of it.
I don’t want to talk about careers on the line, but the reason I say that is because both guys want to be in the massive fights. Both guys want to be in world championship fights.
If you lose this fight, you're going to be a long way away from that. So it's an absolute must-win for both sides.
All three judges scored a gripping contest in favour of Catterall
Jack Catterall avenged his controversial defeat to Josh Taylor by outpointing the Scot in front of a raucous crowd in Leeds.
All three judges ruled in favour of El Gato with the scorecards reading 117-111, 117-111 and 116-113.
The Chorley fighter undoubtedly landed the cleaner shots throughout, but had to withstand a brave fightback from Taylor, who suffered the second defeat of his professional career.
Catterall said he can now "close that chapter on Josh Taylor", telling BBC Radio 5 Live: "I had a few little niggles in there but I overcame [them] and stayed disciplined.
"We've shared 24 rounds together. As much as things have been said there's always respect to another fighter. He's a tough competitor."
Taylor, however, said he is keen on a third meeting to "settle the score".
Insisting he had done enough to edge a thrilling contest, the Scot added that "given all the noise around the first fight, they've given it straight to Jack".
Since their explosive first bout in Glasgow in February 2022 when Taylor was awarded victory by the judges in a fight most observers believed he lost, there has been a sense both boxers' careers have stalled.
The Prestonpans man had fought only once since, a decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in New York last June, while Catterall’s points wins over Darragh Foley and the veteran Jorge Linares did little to advance his case for another world title shot.
The animosity between Taylor and Catterall is genuine and intense, but both men spoke in the build-up to this long-awaited rematch about the importance of keeping their emotions in check when it finally came time to step back between the ropes.
With the fight taking place less than 50 miles from his hometown of Chorley, Catterall entered the ring to a terrific ovation, while Taylor seemed more than happy to play the villain as the boos rained down from the boisterous 11,000 crowd.
How much did a 33-year-old Taylor have left in the tank? Was Catterall ready to prove he belongs at world level? These were the questions hanging in the air as the two bitter rivals finally got down to business.
Catterall established his right jab in the early stages and while Taylor backed up his opponent on the ropes he was on the receiving end of a couple of smart overhand lefts.
A clash of heads produced a nasty bump on Taylor’s head which seemed to be causing him some distress.
Both men had promised the second instalment would be more exciting and less cagey than the original and the fight came to life in the third when Taylor landed a big left to rock Catterall back on to the ropes, only for the Englishman to fight fire with fire and enjoy some success of his own.
Taylor was looking to force the pace, stalking his opponent around the ring, but Catterall is adept at boxing on the back foot and a late flurry probably edged the fourth in his favour.
Catterall came roaring out the traps in the fifth, buckling Taylor’s with a rapid combination in the centre of the ring. The Scot ended the round laying on the ropes with Catterall teeing off on him and the bell came as welcome relief.
With the "Chorley, Chorley" chants growing louder, their man was now firmly in control and while Taylor looked to get back on the front foot, his shots were not getting through as cleanly as those he was receiving.
Catterall and Taylor traded blows in a gripping contest
Taylor is nothing if not a warrior and he came out with renewed vigour in the seventh. A beautiful left counter landed flush and for the first time in the fight Catterall seemed to feel the effects of some of Taylor's attacks.
The Scot seemed to be warming to the task until a rapid flurry of punches snapped his head back and shifted the momentum of the fight again.
Heading into the 10th both men had noticeable swelling under the eyes and the cat-and-mouse of the early rounds was replaced by brutal exchanges in the centre of the ring.
Perhaps sensing he was behind on the scorecards, Taylor went looking for Catterall in the 11th, only to walk on to a massive shot that he did well to survive.
There was a sense of deja vu heading into the final round with Taylor surely needing a stoppage, or at the very least a knockdown, to salvage the fight. Would Catterall look to take it out of the judges' hands this time around?
Both men fought gamely to the last, but neither had the energy reserves to close the show and once again their fate would be in the hands of the officials.
There would be no controversy this time and while some may argue the scorecards were a little wide, Catterall was awarded the victory his performance deserved.
He will now press on in his attempts for world honours. For Taylor, the future is less clear.
