Red-hot Jack Catterall aims to capture his third consecutive title when he challenges for the Vacant WBO Intercontinental Light-Welterweight Championship against Argentina’s Cesar David Inalev on Friday 6th March at the Liverpool Echo Arena. Catterall features on the huge show headlined by Paul Butler’s IBF World Super-Flyweight title challenge and alongside Liverpool stars Derry Mathews, Liam Smith, Kevin Satchell and Jazza Dickens who are all in big title action, live and exclusive on BoxNation.
The fast rising star of British boxing had a sensational 2014 when he shot to prominence with a second round blow out of Nathan Brough in July to capture the Central Area belt, then ended the year with a thrilling eighth-round victory against rival Tom Stalker to win the WBO European crown in October.
With that last win he broke inside the world top 15 of the WBO rankings and the 21-year-old ace now looks to open his account for 2015 by winning the organisation’s Intercontinental belt, formerly held by Bradley Saunders, and shoot past his North East counterpart as he enters the top ten.
“As long as the belts get put in front of me I’ll keep winning them,” Said Catterall.
“I’m excited to now be going for the WBO Intercontinental title and winning it will get me inside the top ten rankings. I’m in no rush to get to the world title, though, I’ve still got tons to learn and when I’m ready I’m sure Frank Warren and Lee Beard will let me loose,”
“Like every boxer I’d love the chance to fight for the Lonsdale belt, even if I don’t get the chance to win it outright, I’d still love to have fought for it and go down in the books as the British champion.”
Inalev, from Rio Negro in Argentina, has won 18 out of 23 fights with 5 KO’s and four losses, but has never been stopped and like Catterall, he’s a southpaw.
The Chorley hitman added, “He’s my first Latin American opponent and he’ll bring something new to the ring for me to figure out and give me more vital ring experience as I progress and learn. I’ve watched a little bit of him, he looks likes a good strong kid, but I’ll be looking to break him apart with body shots once I’ve sized him up with my jabs.”
“It’s an exciting time for me, I’m just enjoying myself in training and in the ring and I’m producing the goods in the ring.”
Catterall’s trainer Lee Beard, who saw three stars of his growing stable – Jamie Cox, Joe Costello and pro-debutant Raza Hamza – all record first round wins in Wolverhampton last week, says Catterall is developing at the right pace and will have some exciting news about who he will be sparring with shortly.
He said, “Jack has rapidly progressed in the last year since linking up with me and has benefited from sparring with elite fighters around his weight in the US to develop and flourish. He picks things up very quickly and is always studying and learning from other fighters, picking bits here and there and adding and refining it to his own repertoire. Like he says he’s still young and there’s lots more to learn so there’s no rush with him.”
Beard added, “I’m hopeful to have some very big news for him shortly about some sparring that I have lined up in the US in the next few weeks that will be the ultimate education for him, it will be like going from studying at sixth form to a PHD!”
The IBF World Super-Flyweight Championship between Zolani Tete v Paul Butler headlines Mersey Boys that also features Liam Smith’s Vacant WBO Intercontinental Light-Middleweight title challenge; Derry Mathews defence of his WBA Continental Lightweight Championship; Kevin Satchell’s challenge for the IBF International Flyweight Championship; Jazza Dickens v Josh Wale for the Vacant British Super-Bantamweight Championship; Jack Catterall’s challenge for the Vacant WBO Intercontinental Light-Welterweight Championship; plus the return of Tom Stalker in an eight-round contest and Stephen Lewis in a six-round contest.
Tickets are on sale on now from the Liverpool Echo Arena Box Office on 0844 8000 400 or echoarena.com and Eventim on 0844 249 1000 or eventim.co.uk
BoxNation will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546 and Talk Talk 525. Subscribe at boxnation.com Or watch online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android.
