Jack Catterall secured a victory over Harlem Eubank under strange circumstances, as their fight in Manchester was called off after six rounds due to an accidental clash of heads. Both fighters suffered significant cuts, leading to the bout being stopped and decided by the judges` scorecards.
“El Gato” Catterall won by unanimous decision with scores of 69-65, 69-66, and 69-66, much to the satisfaction of his local supporters. The result also marked Harlem Eubank`s first professional defeat.
On the undercard of the event at the Manchester AO Arena, Joe Cordina achieved a victory over Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz, positioning himself back in contention for a world title shot.
Fight Report and Stoppage Details
The fight ended abruptly in the seventh round after a head clash caused nasty cuts above the eyes of both Catterall and Eubank. Although Catterall`s cut appeared more severe, it was the doctor in Harlem Eubank`s corner who advised the referee to stop the contest. This decision was met with audible displeasure from the crowd.
Former professional boxers Carl Frampton and Tony Bellew commented on the severity of Catterall`s injury during post-fight analysis. Frampton stated on DAZN, “That will definitely need plastic surgery. It`s so deep. There`s no chance that that can be simply stitched up. 10 or 12 stitches won`t do.” Bellew concurred, saying, “100 per cent, he`ll need a specialist to sort that out.”
Fighter Reactions
Speaking after the fight, Jack Catterall expressed frustration with the premature ending but accepted the victory. He said, “The fight went how I expected it to go I felt I won. Not the way I wanted to win but will take it. Anticipated this from Eubank slippery and trickery. I`ve got ambitions of being a world champion, need to win these fights.” He added, “Respect to Harlem, but I was breaking him down. It’s frustrating I couldn’t go through the gears. It’s a head clash and I just have to move on. The referee made the decision, it’s out of my control. He was slippery and tricky but I felt I was catching him with the cleaner shots. I am back in the win column now, after back-to-back defeats, so I now can get back in the big fights.”
Harlem Eubank was disappointed with the stoppage and called for a rematch. He stated, “I was coming into the fight landing clean. I was ready for round seven executing class in there, coming into the fight beautifully. I done exactly what I was meant to do tonight. We need to see the rematch, I was just getting warm. Jack is a great fighter world class but I believe I was world class aswell.” He added, “He came in with his head but I was ready to go for round seven. But I didn`t get the result. I would like the rematch but we will have to see.”
Pre-Fight Encounter
Adding a layer of pre-fight drama, Conor Benn, who has a bitter rivalry with Harlem`s cousin Chris Eubank Jr., was present. Benn represented Catterall`s team to observe Eubank`s hand wrapping – a tactic he previously attempted with Billy Joe Saunders before Chris Eubank Jr.`s fight against Saunders. Despite Saunders being reportedly turned away in the past, Benn was allowed into Harlem`s dressing room before the bout.
Overall, it was an anticlimactic end to a highly anticipated fight, with the result now setting the stage for potential future matchups for both fighters.
