Jack Catterall ready to 'thrive under the pressure' in domestic dust-up with Harlem Eubank

Jack Catterall admits he has everything to lose and little to gain in his upcoming showdown with Harlem Eubank but says he is ready to thrive under the pressure and reignite his world title aspirations.

The Chorley-star will step up a weight class to tackle Eubank at 147lbs having fallen agonisingly short of becoming a world champion at super-lightweight.

The Matchroom fighter was controversially beaten by Josh Taylor in his first crack at major silverware back in 2022, succumbing to a hugely debated split decision defeat at the hands of the then undisputed 140lbs king.

He did manage to avenge that loss in last year's rematch, easing to victory over the Scotsman, but the East Lothian had, at that point, relinquished his world titles meaning Catterall's only rewards for victory were redemption and pride.

A subsequent defeat at the hands of Arnold Barboza Jr earlier this year denied him the chance to tackle WBO super-lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez in New York, leaving him with little option than to move up in weight in a bid to fulfil his world championship dream.

His quest for welterweight glory will now see him face the unbeaten 147lbs campaigner Eubank in Manchester on July 5, where all of the pressure will seemingly be on him.

“I find myself in a position where my back’s against the wall coming off a defeat,” Catterall said at Tuesday's first pre-fight press conference.

Of course the pressure’s on, but I think I thrive on the pressure, and coming off a defeat, I’ve got to go in there and put it on him. I have to prove that I do belong at this level.

- Jack Catterall (DAZN)

"I’ve been working on myself since the fight - I’ve taken myself to America to do a lot of sparring and I’ve come home and knuckled down to training, because this is a big opportunity.

"When the phone rang and they presented Harlem, it was a ‘yes’. It has always been a ‘yes’. I’ve never turned down any fights, and I wasn't going to turn this one down!

"I've got aspirations that I want and need to achieve in my career and everybody knows what they are, so I understand how big this fight is for me."

There's no doubt that Catterall has fought at a far higher level than Eubank during his decade-long career, and whilst supremely confident of getting the job done in July, the 31-year-old is still wary of the challenge that his unbeaten opponent will provide him.

“He's a hungry, determined fighter, and he’s in a position where I found myself a few years ago, champing at the bit for an opportunity to break on to that stage and fight for world titles," he added.

"That gives me the motivation to double down and train extra hard because he wants to come and have it. I won’t let him have it!"

Mark Mothershaw

• Jack Catterall vs Harlem Eubank
• Matchroom
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