Arnold Barboza Jr. (32-0, 11 KO’s) has come through in defeating British contender Jack Catterall (30-2, 13 KO’s) to become the WBO interim super lightweight (140 lbs) champion and WBO titleholder Teofimo Lopez’ (21-1, 13 KO’s) next opponent. In what clearly became the hardest bout for both fighters, Barboza Jr. staged a potential upset as he eked out a split-decision (SD) win over Catterall at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester on Saturday, February 15. The event was promoted by Matchroom.
Fight Recap: Jack Catterall Vs. Arnold Barboza Jr.
The fight kicked off at a slow pace, with both fighters well aware of the high stakes involved in their bout and their opposite abilities which were technical. While their bout may not have been the most entertaining fight this weekend as a consequence, it certainly was a showcase of their ring intelligence and technical ability.
Many rounds were too close to call, with both fighters managing to offset their opponents’ strategies as Barboza, more known for his controlled pressure whilst remaining defensively responsible, could not gain any momentum while Catterall did not fully succeed in boxing at range or countering.
To their credit, both fighters doubled down on their own distinctive fighting styles, making the rounds even more difficult to call as Catterall and Barboza found success at various points throughout the match with neither fully gaining control of the fight.
Arguably, Barboza had more success pressuring Catterall than the British fighter had in countering, which was likely taken into account by the judges after the end of the 12 rounds which led to a SD win for Arnold Barboza Jr. While the first half of the fight had swayed in Catterall’s favor, Barboza Jr.’s pressure and aggressiveness seemed to help him in arguably winning the second half of the bout―though, notably, both fighters had become fatigued as the end approached and activity had decreased.
Following the end of the 12 rounds, Barboza was announced the winner by SD and further won the WBO 140 lbs interim belt. Due to the match having been branded being a “final eliminator”, Arnold Barboza Jr. is now officially considered the WBO mandatory contender. Barboza won with narrow scorecards of 115-113 twice, and 113-115.
In accordance with the WBO’s own recent announcement, the sanctioning body will look to order a mandatory title bout between Arnold Barboza Jr. and WBO champion Teofimo Lopez in the upcoming weeks.
Undercard Fights:
At super featherweight (130 lbs), two British fringe contenders faced each other in Zelfa Barrett (31-3, 17 KO’s) and James “Jazza” Dickens (35-5, 14 KO’s) duked it out in a non-title competitive bout that went the distance over 10 rounds. Dickens eventually won the 130-pound contest by unanimous decision (UD).
In the same 130-pound weight class, two other British contenders, Reece Bellotti (20-5, 15 KO’s) and Michael Gomez Jr. (21-2, 6 KO’s), battled each other with Bellotti’s CBC (Commonwealth Boxing Council) and BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control) titles on the line. Bellotti did very well, dominating the bout over the course of 12 rounds despite a cut he suffered in the 6th round of the fight. Already heading towards a victory by the 10th round, Bellotti closed out the show with a battering in the round that forced Gomez’ team to throw in the towel, culminating in a stoppage win for Bellotti.
At welterweight (147 lbs), British prospect and Olympic silver medalist Pat McCormack (7-0, 5 KO’s) continued to show his potential as he recorded an impressive stoppage win over countryman Robbie Davies Jr. (24-6, 15 KO’s) in the 6th round of their 10-round match.
Additionally, William Crolla (7-0, 6 KO’s), younger brother of former world champion and now-retired Anthony Crolla commenced with his seventh professional fight. Fighting at super welterweight (154 lbs), Crolla recorded an easy 1st-round technical knockout (TKO) win over Spanish opponent Ayoub Zakari (5-8-1, 0 KO’s)―who was notably on a losing streak of seven matches and had a losing record. While the outcome was impressive for the younger Crolla, it was only indicative of the wide gap of ability between him and his opponent; suggesting he would benefit from at least facing fighters with winning records.
