Jack Catterall is controversially denied a deserved world light-welterweight unification victory over Josh Taylor in Glasgow on Saturday night.
Catterall, the long-time WBO mandatory challenger, was the heavy underdog ahead of the clash in Glasgow, but the Chorley fighter put on a dream-like performance to seemingly dethrone Taylor of his four belts, five if you include the Ring Magazine crown.
However, the three judges remarkably scored the fight close, Taylor prevailing by 114-111, undoubtedly one of the worst scorecards ever seen in a United Kingdom world title fight, and 113-112.
Catterall was also provided with a 113-112 scoreline, but that did his display no justice as he was left stunned by a verdict which will live long in the memory for the wrong reasons.
After emerging from the visiting corner, Catterall outclassed Taylor for the majority of the first six rounds, and although there was an argument that he won each of those sessions, holding a 5-1 advantage was perhaps more realistic.
Taylor slowly grew into the fight but he was floored with a short left hand in the eighth, and the perception was that Taylor could only win by knockout.
Catterall deservedly had a point deducted for holding in the 10th but at the end of the 11th, Taylor was also penalised for an unnecessary punch to Catterall's stomach after the bell.
Ahead of the closing stanza, Taylor's trainer Ben Davison told him that he required a stoppage, but even though that did not come, the Scot was left to celebrate wildly as a disconsolate Catterall left the ring.
Darren Plant
