Sergio Mora says Arnold Barboza Jr. can’t afford to let the rounds be close if he wants to be victorious against British fighter Jack Catterall in their 12-round fight for the WBO interim light welterweight title this Saturday, February 15th, at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England. The event will be shown live on DAZN.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
Whoever emerges victorious from this fight will be the mandatory for WBO lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez. He’s not likely to fight either of those guys. So, there’s a good chance the Catterall-Barboza Jr. winner will be elevated to the full champion by next year.
Dominance Required
The Southern California native Barboza Jr. (31-0, 11 KOs) is fighting Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) on his home turf in England, which means that any close rounds are likely to go in his favor. We know how that goes. The visiting guy is already four rounds down at the start of the fight and has an uphill battle to get a win.
Catterall has been nicknamed the ‘British Shakur‘ and has a style that requires a lot of chasing to force him to engage. If you’re not ready to pursue him around the ring, he’s going to win an ugly decision by playing hit-and-run all night. He’s not a knockout puncher and only cares about taping with minimal power and moving away immediately.
If you get close enough to land, Catterall will grab and hold. Every round is the same and is frustrating for his opponents, even more for the fans who don’t enjoy watching that style, even those in the UK. You do get some loyalists that turn up for Cattterall’s fights to watch him, but he’s not the cup of tea for the average fan in the UK.
“It doesn’t get any bigger than fighting in the UK in Manchester, probably 20,000 people booing me, turning me on, and fighting for the WBO interim. That’s a dream,” said Arnold Barboza Jr. to Golden Boy Boxing about his fight this Saturday, February 15th, against Jack Catterall in Manchester.
“I think Jack Catterall is a dangerous opponent. He’s like me. We get overlooked. He is a lefty, and that always makes it a little tricky. I’ve had tougher opponents, but that doesn’t mean I’m overlooking him. We’re expecting the best Jack Catterall. So, hopefully, he expects the best from us.
“My goal after this fight is for you guys to respect me and to actually become a fan of me. So that’s what I expect. Everybody out here in Cali already knows what it is. I’m going to win the belt. Jack Catterall, February 15th, I’m coming for that a**, baby,” said Barboza Jr.
Barboza needs to avoid a close fight against Catterall. Close rounds will nit sway his way. 🇬🇧🐈⬛
Make it definitive. Make a statement! https://t.co/F9qzOqdxTJ
— Sergio Mora (@TheLatinSnake_) February 13, 2025
Last Updated on 02/13/2025
