Eddie Hearn: Josh Taylor Is an Underappreciated All-Time British Great

Eddie Hearn may be the rival promoter of Josh Taylor’s main domestic rival, Jack Catterall, but he was not short of praise for Scotland’s Taylor ahead of Saturday’s grudge match between the two fighters.

Taylor (19-1, 13 KOs) and Catterall (28-1, 13 KOs) initially clashed in February 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland, in an ill-tempered affair marred by point deductions for both fighters. 

The controversy attached to the officiating of the contest led to a split decision verdict in Taylor’s favor, despite the common opinion that England’s Catterall had done enough to wrestle away the undisputed 140-pound mantle from Taylor, which included a knockdown of Taylor in the eighth round.

In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, Taylor traveled to Las Vegas with his WBA and IBF world junior welterweight titles to challenge Catterall, the WBC and WBO titleholder, in an undisputed title fight. A virtually punch-perfect performance, alongside the grit and determination associated with Taylor, saw the Scotsman become the first British fighter in the four-belt era to achieve undisputed status.

Speaking to the BBC before this weekend’s encounter, Hearn said he believes Taylor and his achievements are underappreciated by the English and public as a whole.

“I think Josh, given his achievements, hasn’t really got the credit he deserves,” Hearn said. ”Maybe that’s because he’s Scottish.”

Hearn added that the long-rooted rivalry between the English and Scots is a factor in why Taylor has not received the praise and recognition he deserves, labeling Taylor as Scotland’s greatest fighter, alongside Ken Buchanan.

“We know he’s very well-respected in Scotland and arguably the best fighter ever from Scotland, with Ken Buchanan,” said Hearn. “But we don’t have a tendency as English to really get behind Scottish sportsmen and athletes, probably like we should.”

Ultimately, Hearn praised Taylor as being one of the U.K.’s greatest fighters, but his past accomplishments will count for nothing as he takes to the ring against his charge, Catterall, at the First Direct Arena on Saturday night.

“His achievements are quite incredible,” Hearn said of Taylor. “He’s one of the all-time greats – Scottish, British, whatever you want to call it.

“Respect his achievements, but they all go out the window on Saturday.”