Polished Jack Catterall scored a resounding decision over Shakhram Giyasov in Giza, Egypt, to claim the WBA’s regular welterweight title.
Catterall dropped his opponent in the first and controlled the bout the rest of the way to win by margins of 118-109, 119-108, and 116-111.
Chorley, England’s Catterall, 33-2 (14 KOs), is now in the shop window for the big fights he has long craved.
“I can’t put it into the words, I am the happiest man in the world,” said Catterall.
His promoter, Eddie Hearn, said: “They’re two avoided guys… They decided to roll the dice and they deserve all the credit and respect for that. Jack started fast and was aggressive.”
Giyasov, also promoted by Matchroom, is now 17-1 (10 KOs).
Catterall got off to a flying start, dropping Giyasov with a straight left hand in the first and raking him with the same shot a couple more times before round’s end.
The pace slowed in the second but Catterall’s corner celebrated their man firing of a one-two and catching Giyasov with his straight left again.
The Uzbek “Wonder Boy” steadied the ship in the third and fourth and at the end of the fifth had Catterall under pressure in his own corner while firing in rights.
Catterall started firing more downstairs in the next and Giyasov’s nose was leaking crimson. The US-based Uzbek’s face was one of concentration but not positivity and Catterall started to open up a little at the end of the seventh and Giyasov couldn’t really work out what to do.
Catterall’s one-twos were still puzzling him and piling up the points. What Catterall was doing was working. The gameplan laid out by new trainer Stephen Smith was being followed rigidly and purposefully and Giyasov had nowhere to go, feinting for openings that didn’t come and throwing his jab while out of range.
Giyasov, in the 11th, dared Catterall to get involved with him and had moments of success as the Chorley man accepted the invitation but Catterall remained ahead of the game.
