Josh Taylor warns that Jack Catterall is 'my enemy' as he hints about ruthless intentions for his English rival
Josh Taylor defends his WBC, IBF, WBA and WBO world super-lightweight titles in a homecoming fight against WBO mandatory challenger Jack Catterall at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow on February 26, live on Sky Sports
Tuesday 7 December 2021 15:49, UK
Josh Taylor warned that Jack Catterall is 'my enemy' as he hinted about ruthless intentions for his English rival in their undisputed super-lightweight title fight.
The Scotsman defends his WBC, IBF, WBA and WBO belts against Catterall in a big homecoming clash at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow on February 26, live on Sky Sports.
Taylor was due to face Catterall this month, but had to reschedule the bout due to a knee injury, and is now channelling all his aggression towards the WBO mandatory challenger.
"I've got a lot of respect for Jack, he knows that. Vice versa, he's got a lot of respect for me, but as of now, he's my enemy. I hate his guts," said Taylor at their press conference in Edinburgh.
"I'm ready to go out of here and fight him.
"I'm not his friend now, but having said that, I've got a lot of respect for him.
"Getting towards the fight, the mindset changes towards Jack now. I'm just ready to get in there already. If the fight was next week, I'd be ready."
Taylor has been linked with a future fight against American star Terence Crawford, but the 30-year-old insists he is purely focused on the threat posed by Catterall.
"I've got goals and ambitions to become a two-weight world champion, which is what I want to do once I take care of Jack, and do it in good fashion, which is what I believe I'm going to do," said Taylor.
"I'll move up to welterweight and challenge for a belt up there and become a two-weight champion up there, but I take all that with a pinch of salt.
"I've got a massive fight here. Jack is in front of me, he's trying to take my belts, and if it doesn't go well, that's all that out of the window.
"All that, forget about that. I hope everybody stops asking me about what's happening next. Jack Catterall is happening next."
Catterall is taking a sizeable step up in class, although the unbeaten Chorley boxer firmly believes he will pull off a stunning victory.
"Everything has got to go right," he said.
"Every box will be ticked come fight night. There will be no excuses on my side.
"I win by turning up to Glasgow, February 26, and being Jack Catterall.
"It doesn't matter to me however those belts come back. I can go up there and I can stop Josh, happy days. Beat him on points, all good."
But Taylor, with 13 stoppages in 18 wins, has suggested that he is capable of inflicting a punishing defeat on Catterall.
"We'll see what comes. If the stoppage is there, we'll take it.
"I'm a good finisher. When someone is hurt, I'll take it, but I'm not going to go out looking for it.
"As long as I get the W, which I believe I will, and the belts stay here. They're not going anywhere."
Sky Sports Boxing schedule
Sunday December 12 - Top Rank in New York
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Richard Commey
Jared Anderson vs Oleksandr Teslenko
Nico Ali Walsh
Sunday December 18 - Top Rank in Montreal
Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne - IBF and WBC light-heavyweight titles
Saturday January 29 - BOXXER in Cardiff
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams
Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin - IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight titles
Saturday February 19 - BOXXER in Manchester - Sky Sports Box Office
Amir Khan vs Kell Brook
Saturday February 26 - Top Rank in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall - undisputed super-lightweight titles
