Jack Catterall wants Maurice Hooker world title fight

UNDEFEATED super-lightweight Jack Catterall wants to fight the likes of Ohara Davies and WBO world champion Maurice Hooker.

Catterall is coming off a unanimous decision win against Tyrone McKenna last Saturday (June 30) as he competed on the undercard of Michael Conlan’s bout against Adeilson Dos Santos which was held at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast.

“I was happy with the performance and the outcome it was great getting the win away from home,” said Catterall. “At the same time I made a lot of mistakes and I know myself I only turned 25 today so I know there’s a lot of room for improvement as well.”

Catterall defended his WBO Inter-Continental super-lightweight title against the home fighter McKenna, but the Lancashire man praised the Belfast crowd he competed in front of. “It was absolutely brilliant,” Catterall said. “They really appreciate and understand their boxing so to be involved with a fight over there with one of their fighters was amazing. Not only do they get behind their boxers they get behind every fighter.”

“I felt like I won a lot of fans over the weekend,” he continued. “I had my family and my close friends there and they were sat next to Tyrone’s fans who were obviously supporting him but everybody really got on and I’ve had no bad feedback, everybody enjoyed it.”

Catterall moved to 22-0 and finds himself ranked third with the WBO, and the southpaw revealed he is targeting a fight with current titlist Maurice Hooker, who dethroned the previously unbeaten Terry Flanagan in June.

“The fight that I want is Maurice Hooker,” Catterall claimed. “I believe he’s there to be beat and he has the WBO world title, obviously the dream I have is to reach that world championship level and that’s the fight hopefully even in the future I can get.”

As well as targeting international names Catterall had previously been linked with domestic clashes with Flanagan and Ohara Davies, something he does not believe is a step down if the Hooker fight cannot be made.

“Terry had the world title and although I don’t believe he beat any great fighters in his defences, he isn’t a step down,” Catterall said. “He has been beat now so I don’t know whether it would be worth fighting him, I don’t know what his plans are.

“There’s a lot of interest in the Ohara Davies fight. I think a lot of people want to see me beat him but again, it has to make sense business wise.

“I have to do what’s best for my career, so it might be too soon to say what direction I’ll go in next but certainly I’m hoping to be involved with some great fights.”