A proper singalong for Jack Catterall as he makes a slow walk through the back corridors at the M&S Arena.

'Stand By Me'.

As he hits the ramp he is alongside DJ and producer Tom Zanetti, who is MCing over a much more upbeat tune... not sure what it is though.

Preferred the Ben E. King song to be honest.

Image source, Matchroom

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool

Linares - a 55-fight veteran - had a real spring in his step as he made his way to the ring. He is wearing a Liverpool FC shirt with 'Torres' on the back, which received a mixed reaction.

Jorge Linares is first to make his walk to the ring.

A lovely robe. It matches the suit he's been wearing in fight week and then underneath he reveals a Fernando Torres Liverpool shirt. He's playing to the crowd!

Image source, Matchroom

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

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One man who knows all about putting on a show in Liverpool is UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett.

During his days with Cage Warriors, he enjoyed some show-stopping nights at the M&S Bank Arena - then known as the Echo Arena.

Whatever he said to Jack Catterall earlier has clearly had an impact. The Chorley-based fighter looks pumped.

Image source, Matchroom

Image source, Matchroom

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool

Jorge Linares will most likely go into the boxing hall of fame. But he’s also a fighter many feel should have called it a day by now. The 38-year-old made his debut in 2002… TWENTY ONE years ago. Plus, he has lost his last three bouts.

But write ‘The Golden Boy’ off at your peril. In 2012, he almost quit the sport after losing to Antonio DeMarco and Sergio Thompson and losing the faith of his promoters. Linares went on to become a three-weight champion and is still going more than a decade later.

He’s once again linked up with renowned trainer Ismael Salas in a bid to reignite his career. A win over Jack Catterall will catapult him back into potential world-title contention.

Image source, Matchroom

Jorge Linares has lost eight times in a 55-fight career, which started in 2002 - 10 years before tonight's opponent Jack Catterall had made his professional debut.

The Venezuelan is certainly not short on experience, but he's never previously had to try and respond to a three-fight losing streak.

Having not claimed a victory since February 2020, Linares admitted he had considered hanging up the gloves but feels his love for the sport has been reignited after linking up with former trainer Ismael Salas once again.

"I'm feeling like 20 years old," Linares said. "I come from three losses but I don't care too much as a lot happened in my life, this is not new."

Trying to get back on track against a hungry Catterall is going to require a special performance from Linares.

He falls firmly in the camp of believing the Brit was robbed in his contest with Josh Taylor and is not taking tonight's challenge lightly.

Linares said: "This is different time, different day, different opponent. I'm coming to fight an undefeated fighter. For me, he's a world champion and he never lost the fight to Taylor."

Jack Catterall speaking on DAZN: "I can't wait. When it's time, it's time and I'll be ready.

"I've boxed here before, it'll be a great atmosphere tonight and I'm ready to put on a show.

"Every fight for me is a must win fight. Nothing matters in the future unless I do Linares tonight."

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool

I spoke to Jack Catterall last week. He’s a nice chap who had the utmost of respect for Jorge Linares. As soon as I mentioned the name of a certain Scotsman however, you could almost see the fire burning in Catterall’s eyes.

He says the wounds of the loss to Josh Taylor more than 18 months ago have healed, but the scars have not faded. Catterall missed out on an opportunity to become the first Englishman to hold an undisputed title. The stuff dreams are made of.

A world-title shot potentially awaits, perhaps against the winner of WBC champion Regis Prograis versus Devin Haney in December, but Catterall said he also wants the rematch with Taylor at some point in the future. "It's personal", he says.

Image source, Matchroom

Jack Catterall's controversial defeat against Josh Taylor struck a chord with many... and not just in the boxing world.

Catterall signed with Matchroom Boxing earlier this and promoter Eddie Hearn introduced him as "the unofficial undisputed world champion."

They went even further in his home town of Chorley - the speaker of the House of Commons and a local Member of Parliament Lindsay Hoyle called for a police investigation, while a local pub was temporarily renamed 'The Catterall Arms'.

A rematch was on the cards before Taylor withdrew due to injury and the Scot then went on to face American Teofimo Lopez - a fight which ended in a first career loss for the man from Edinburgh.

Taylor says he is still interested in a rematch but with the caveat that it takes place at welterweight.

"He's the king of contradiction," said Catterall. "He made the weight the best he ever has against Lopez but now he wants to move up after that beating.

"But I'd be open to negotiations. I don't think Josh is a nice person and has said some quite silly things over the last year or so, which makes it personal now.

"The talk of the rematch won't go away and it would be nice to get him in the ring again. I do believe that fight happens in the future. It's definitely what I want."

One half of tonight's postponed main event Joshua Buatsi is in the crowd at York Hall.

He's just been speaking with Sky Sports as the action goes on between Louis Greene and Sam Gilley.

Buatsi told Sky Sports: "I'm very upset of course. I was ready to fight. I'm upset but these guys are putting on a good show.

"I'm doing my bit, doing what I can. Dan [Azeez] got an injury so I'm waiting for an update.

Asked if he'd be ready be ready to go anytime, Buatsi added: "Absolutely. I'll be in the gym."

Image source, LAWRENCE LUSTIG/BOXXER

Mikael Lawal is yet to lose in his 17-fight career and he's eager to keep that streak going when he makes the first defence of his British cruiserweight title.

Lawal displayed devastating power to win the vacant belt against David Jamieson in November 2022.

A great back-and-forth contest ended after eight rounds when Jamieson was forced to retire with a broken jaw.

He was meant to make his maiden defence in May against tonight's opponent Isaac Chamberlain but had to withdraw due to 'medical reasons.'

Chamberlain tried to irritate Lawal with constant interruption and jibes about pulling out earlier in the year at Thursday's news conference - it didn't seem to work, though. "I'm not letting him wind me up," Lawal said. "It's nothing personal, it's just business."

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool

As a Chorley resident, I expect there to be strong support for Jack Catterall this evening. ‘El Gato’ is a huge deal in his home town. So much so that my local temporarily renamed itself ‘The Catterall Arms’ after last year’s controversial points loss to Josh Taylor.

Around 7,000 tickets were reportedly sold for this card but that number seems to be a little off the mark at the moment. I expect it pick up for the main event.

The loudest cheer of the night so far has come for local fighter Jack Turner who, in just his third pro bout, sold 1,000 tickets alone.

The 21-year-old treated his fans to a first-round knockout.

Image source, Action Images/Reuters

Becoming a world champion is the dream most that step into a boxing ring have held at some point.

For Jack Catterall, it's a dream that should, many believe, have become a reality in February 2022.

Catterall travelled north of the border to face undisputed light-welterweight Josh Taylor at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow.

The Chorley-fighter, regarded as a major underdog, dropped and outclassed Scotland's Taylor, who was making his first defence of the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF and WBO belts, in his own backyard.

When the final bell rang, Catterall raised his arms and let out a huge roar - he was seemingly set to make history by becoming the first Englishman to boast the tag of undisputed champion in the four-belt era - but when the judges scorecards were read out, Taylor was awarded victory by split decision.

"You can see the celebrations at the final bell between me and the coaches. I not only won the fight but I won it by a clear margin," Catterall told BBC Sport.

"I've been doing this sport since I was 10 years old. I'd put myself in a position to fight for the pinnacle but it was taken out of my hands. I lost it all because of the incompetence of certain people."

Quick update on timings...

We're definitely not going to be seeing Mikael Lawal and Isaac Chamberlain take to the ring at 21:30 BST as previously thought.

Louis Greene and Sam Gilley have just completed round four with 12 scheduled at York Hall.

We could be on a collision course here with the two main events - in London and Liverpool - set to go off at the same time and closer to 22:30 BST.

Mikael Lawal and Isaac Chamberlain get their hands wrapped backstage at York Hall.

Wouldn't be a proper fight night if we didn't show you fighters getting their hands wrapped, would it?

Image source, Boxxer

Image source, Boxxer

Image source, LAWRENCE LUSTIG/BOXXER

Isaac Chamberlain returns to the ring looking for his first big win since losing to Chris Billam-Smith for the European and Commonwealth cruiserweight titles in July 2022.

That unanimous decision loss - the second of his career - doesn't look too bad now considering Billam-Smith has gone on to claim the WBO cruiserweight belt.

He was raring to go for his meeting with Mikael Lawal in May, but had to settle for facing Dylan Bregeon in June, winning on points, after Lawal withdrew due to injury.

It seems that extended period outside the ring has added more of an edge to tonight's rescheduled bout for Chamberlain.

"All the talking this guy's been doing, we can finally put it to rest," Chamberlain said.

"Do you know what all this talking has led me to?

"Because you didn't turn up, because you pulled out before - I'm basically getting double what you're getting? How do you feel about that?"

Image source, LAWRENCE LUSTIG/BOXXER

We were all prepared for a tasty all-British bout between Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez in a final eliminator for the right to face WBA (Super) world champion Dmitry Bivol.

When the news broke that Azeez was unable to compete due to a back injury suffered in training, it wasn't clear whether the card could go on.

Mikael Lawal was due to put his British cruiserweight belt on the line against Isaac Chamberlain in the co-main event and the pair now have the privilege of headlining.

It's not just a change of main event but also venue. Instead of the card taking place at London's O2, it has been shifted seven miles across the capital and north of the River Thames to the historic York Hall.

The domestic cruiserweight rivals meet six months after they were originally scheduled to fight.

We can confirm Jack Catterall and Jorge Linares are in the building.

Both men looking relaxed.

Image source, Matchroom

Image source, Matchroom