Jack Catterall insisted he would knock out Josh Taylor when the bitter rivals faced each other for a second time in April.

Catterall controversially lost a split decision for the undisputed super-lightweight championship two years ago and there were many inside and outside the sport who thought he had every right to feel aggrieved.

The British Boxing Board of Control launched an investigation into the scoring of the bout and subsequently downgraded judge Ian John-Lewis, who had scored it 114-111 in favour of Taylor.

The Scot vacated three of his titles before losing his WBO championship to Teofimo Lopez last June in his only bout since facing Catterall, whom he will meet again in a non-title fight on April 27 at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

“It’s an exciting fight, it gets the juices flowing,” Catterall told a press conference in Manchester.

“It’s been talked about for the last two years, everybody asking when this rematch is so it’s good to finally have the date locked in and I’m ready to settle it.

“They’ve said it’s the England v Scotland narrative but it’s more of me just fighting a p***k. He’s just not a nice person.

“I know what lies ahead of me. I’m preparing for the best version of Josh Taylor, so when I beat him – and I beat him convincingly – I can move on with my career.”

Asked if he believed he would win the fight within the distance, Catterall added: “One hundred per cent.

“I think he’s there to be beat, I think I’ve got his number. I know I’ve got his number and it’s only a matter of time before he touches the canvas again.”

Taylor’s microphone did not work properly during the press conference, although his words were also drowned out by boos from fans of local favourite Catterall.

Plans are being drawn up for Jack Catterall to face Josh Taylor again, with Manchester or Glasgow primed to host the grudge match in 2024.

British super-lightweight Catterall claimed a unanimous decision victory over former three-weight champion Jorge Linares in Liverpool on Saturday night.

Two of the judges scored the fight 116-112 with another 117-111 in favour of Catterall, who is in line to face the winner of the December clash between WBC-belt holder Regis Prograis and Devin Haney, but is set to sidestep the world title shot to settle his score with long-standing foe Taylor.

Catterall lost in controversial circumstances to Taylor in February 2022, when the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO super-lightweight belts were on the line with the Scottish boxer earning a split decision victory despite being put down in the eighth round and largely struggling against his English opponent.

“Taylor, where are ya? Let’s have it,” Catterall (28-1, 13KOs) said during his ringside interview.

Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn, who promoters Catterall, confirmed talks with Taylor’s Top Rank representatives will begin soon.

Hearn told Matchroom Boxing: “They are two guys who cannot stand each other.

“Josh Taylor is spiteful in and out of the ring, he is fantastic in the build-up and that would bring the best out of Jack Catterall, who is quite quiet and relaxed in general.

“The first fight was extremely controversial, we could do that in Manchester or Glasgow and we’ll be speaking to Top Rank to try and make it happen.”

Taylor had been expected to move up to the welterweight category following his defeat to Teofimo Lopez in June, but he was active on X, formerly known as Twitter, during Catterall’s bout with Linares and insisted his rival “couldn’t finish a roast dinner” after going the distance.

“I think you’ve seen with the success of Wood-Warrington, Smith-Eubank, potentially Benn-Eubank as well, the British fights work,” Hearn explained.

“There is so much bad blood between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall the build-up is going to be electric, it’s going to be spiteful and going to get people involved because of the narrative.

“They know from the first fight it could sell-out in Manchester or Glasgow and I think it’s the right fight for both fighters.

“Every fighter wants to win a world title, Jack arguably should have all of them but he hasn’t. Outside of a world championship fight, the rematch is one that definitely makes sense.”

Josh Taylor spoke about moving up to welterweight imminently after suffering the first defeat of his career to Teofimo Lopez in New York on Saturday night.

The 32-year-old Scot started the defence of his WBO and Ring Magazine super-lightweight titles at The Theater at Madison Square Garden looking like he had the measure of his Brooklyn opponent.

However Lopez, 25, soon grew in confidence and by the end of 12 gruelling rounds there was no doubt about the result.

Two judges called it 115-113 for the home fighter, with the other scoring it 117-111, confirming Lopez a two-weight world champion by unanimous decision.

Following a first loss in 20 fights, Taylor stressed his desire for a rematch but admitted that he would be “more comfortable” stepping up to the next weight division.

He told Sky Sports Boxing: “I would love to do it again and fight him again. Back home, why not?

“But the ball is in his court, he is the champion.

“I would love to do it again but most likely I will probably be moving up to welter now.

“As I have been saying for ages the move up to welter is imminent.

“I could do 140 again but I would be more comfortable at 147.”

It was Taylor’s first bout since his contentious win over Englishman Jack Catterall in February 2022 and it was another difficult night as he struggled to find solutions to the problems posed by Lopez, who was slick and powerful with his punches and evasive in defence.

The Scot refused to blame the long lay-off for his performance as he accepted defeat with humility.

He said: “The last two rounds, the championship rounds I didn’t do enough. The better man won on the night.

“I just wasn’t (at my) best, far from it. It is what it is.

“I am absolutely devastated but I will come again. He’s the champion. I would love to do it again. I know I can win.

“I know I can beat him but last night he was the better man so I have no excuses.”

Lopez said after the fight: “Josh Taylor is a tough dude. I can see why he beat so many fighters but you have to counter the counter-puncher, you have to outsmart the man and get in there and I did that. I think I did enough.”

Josh Taylor suffered his first defeat and lost his WBO and Ring Magazine super-lightweight titles to Teofimo Lopez on points in New York.

It was the 32-year-old Scotsman’s first bout since his contentious win over Englishman Jack Catterall in February, 2022 and it was another struggle at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

The Scot started well enough but Lopez grew in confidence and finished the fight strongly, landing some thumping shots, particularly in the second-half of the bout, which impressed the judges who declared a unanimous win for the 25-year-old Brooklyn boxer.

Steve Gray called it 115-113 as did Joe Pasquale with Benoit Roussel scoring it 117-111 for the new champion.

Afterwards Taylor, whose first loss came in his 20th fight, was magnanimous in defeat, telling Sky Sports: “No excuses. He was better on the night. It is what it is so congratulations to Teofimo.

“I would love to do it again. I know I am better than that and I know I can beat him.

“So yes, I would love to do it again but he’s the champ and the ball is in his court.”

Lopez said: “I just want to thank God first. It has been a long time coming.

“We just beat the number one champion, Josh Taylor, former undisputed champion.”

Taylor, who unified the division before vacating several titles, had started impressively.

Using his size and reach advantage, the Prestonpans southpaw delivered some accurate jabs and powerful body shots in the early rounds.

Lopez slipped to the canvas in the third and pushed Taylor to the ground in the fourth where he staggered the Scot in the final seconds of the round with a powerful shot.

Taylor came back in the next round with a clean left and right before Lopez landed a low blow in the sixth where he again finished the aggressor.

Lopez looked confident coming out for the seventh but had to absorb a couple of clean shots from the Scot before he rocked him with a right hand at the end of the round.

The home fighter indulged in some showboating in the eighth round as his confidence increased further.

Lopez’s hand speed was causing all sorts of problems for Taylor who was rocked again in the ninth round which the challenger dominated.

Taylor was clipped twice in the 11th round which ended with Lopez lifting his arms in a victory pose which the Scot replicated but less convincingly.

In the final round Taylor was again left unsteady on his feet after taking some shots with Lopez clearly believing he had won when the bell rang – the judges confirming that belief moments later.

Josh Taylor was held back from world title challenger Teofimo Lopez by a New York policeman and several security guards during a bizarre pre-fight press conference.

Promoters Top Rank dispensed with the usual face-to-face photographs following some highly charged comments between the pair in the media in the lead-up to this weekend’s fight at Madison Square Garden.

A statement before the media event read: “Instead of a traditional face-off, a layer of security will separate the combatants. Additional security has been hired due to the intense pre-fight rhetoric between the two combatants.”

After a question-and-answer session with the event host, a burly police officer entered the stage flanked by security guards either side and put his arms on Taylor several times to prevent the Scot approaching American Lopez.

The 25-year-old challenger stated last month that he liked the thought of being able to kill in the ring and get away with it, which prompted Taylor to warn “let’s see who ends up in the back of an ambulance” if he tried to do so during their WBO super-lightweight title fight.

When asked at Thursday’s media conference whether his comments relayed genuine hostility, Lopez said: “It is what it is, I speak my truth, that’s how I feel. Everything I speak out I am just trying to make into existence.”

When asked the same question, Taylor, who unified the division before vacating several titles, said: “It is a little bit genuine. I say what I mean as well. There is a bit of genuine dislike there.

“He has been disrespectful. A lot of words he has said, I am going to make him pay for on Saturday. I can’t wait to get in there and get tore in amongst him.”

Ring magazine belt-holder Taylor later branded Lopez, a former lightweight world champion, a “clown” after quoting Mike Tyson and called on him to produce his own saying.

Lopez, wearing a white suit with no shirt, responded: “Aim for death because that’s where life begins. Everyone is scared of death, I don’t know why, we all going to die, but at least if I die I will die for something that means something, that is going to last forever. It’s what greats are all about. Something that you don’t really know.”

Taylor, wearing a Scotland football top, was quickly manhandled by the police officer and joined on stage by six security guards when he moved towards his opponent to speak to him during the photoshoot.

The fight is due to start about 4am UK time in the early hours of Sunday morning.