Jack Catterall is finally feeling good about himself.
In 2022, Catterall believed his shining moment had finally arrived. Yet, he was forced to tuck away the balloons and place the champagne back on the shelf as two of the three judges sitting ringside gave Josh Taylor the nod.
Catterall took over a year to get his head on straight, but once he made his return, he proved why he’s one of the top contenders in the super lightweight division.
Facing Taylor in a rematch is still a priority but considering that he no longer has a world title to bring to the table, Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) is weighing his options. Amongst a long list of them, Teofimo Lopez, the same man who just beat Taylor, is near the top of his list. Catterall isn’t the most loquacious fighter in the world but he did admit that fighting the flamboyant WBO champion is something he would enjoy.
“If Teofimo Lopez wants it, I’m ready to go,” wrote Catterall on his social media account.
Catterall, according to all of the sanctioning bodies, is a highly ranked contender, but even he knows that he holds little to no power in the negotiating room. Lopez, by and large, is the man to beat at 140 pounds. His name is also plastered on most pound-for-pound lists.
Bearing in mind his stature, Catterall doesn’t mind acquiescing to some of Lopez’s demands, including the location. None of those external factors are a sticking point for Catterall. He simply wants an opportunity to fight Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) as soon as possible.
“We can do it in Manchester or New York. He’s the champion so I’m more than happy to come to his backyard and take that title. He’s a great fighter and I think we’d give a great fight for the fans.”