Matchroom Boxing held Catterall vs Linares in Liverpool on Saturday 21 October 2023, broadcast live on DAZN.
The early portion of the card, known as Before the Bell, took place between 4:30 p.m and 7:00 p.m, with 4 bouts featured. You can read the results of the early undercard here.
Shabaz Masoud withdrew from his bout against Jose Sanmartin the night before, citing illness. You can read more on that news here.
Here are the results of the main portion of the card for Jack Catterall vs Jorge Linares.
Khaleel Majid vs Tom Farrell
This was the opening bout of the main broadcast, scheduled for 8 rounds. The bout was competitive in the early rounds, with Majid edging the rounds but Farrell proving game opposition. Farrell picked up a small cut in the fourth and was sporting some damage to his eye and nose, and Majid seem to be growing stronger. Majid dropped Farrell in the fifth round with a body shot, having worked the area the entire fight. Farrell picked himself up but seemed to wince when Majid landed further body shots in the round, but continued to battle on.
Tom Farrell was knocked down a second time with a body shot in round 6. Farrell rose to his feet, but Majid pounced on him quickly and knocked him down for a third time with more body shots. The referee immediately waved the bout off.
Majid wins via TKO in round 6. Majid moves to 12-0. Farrell is now 21-8.
Aqib Fiaz vs Reece Bellotti
This bout was for the Commonwealth Boxing Council Super Featherweight title (Vacant), and an eliminator the British Super Featherweight title.
Fiaz started the brighter of the two fighters, picking up early rounds and out landing Reece Bellotti. The rounds remained competitive between the pair, but Bellotti ended round 6 with a cut to his right eye after a clash of heads. The next round remained competitive, but Bellotti was dabbing at the cut and was beginning to fade. Bellotti dropped Fiaz in round 8, and the towel was thrown in at the end. The referee initially seemed to refuse to accept the towel, but eventually waved off the fight before the beginning of the ninth round.
Bellotti wins via TKO, round 9
Jack Turner vs Yahaya
Jack Turner knocked down Yahaya once in the latter part round one, and he failed to beat the count. Turner moves onto 3-0.
Turner wins via KO, round 1
Peter McGrail vs Fran Mendoza
McGrail vs Mendoza was for the WBA Continental Super Bantamweight title.
McGrail vs Mendoza went the full 10 round distance as McGrail was the chief support in just his seventh bout. Mendoza was decent opposition for McGrail and the unbeaten competitor made it a decent bout, but McGrail was in control of the bout throughout and never really troubled. The judges scorecards 99-91 (x2) and 97-93 in favour of McGrail, who also picked up the WBA Continental Super Bantamweight title.
Peter McGrail wins via Unanimous Decision. McGrail wins the first title of his career.
Jack Catterall vs Jorge Linares
This bout was for the WBA Inter-Continental Super Lightweight title (Catterall).
The main event between ‘El Gato’ Jack Catterall and ‘The Last Samurai’ Jorge Linares started shortly after 10:15 p.m in the UK.
The bout started fairly even, with not much to separate the pair in the opening round, and Catterall taking the second. Linares continued to tread on the front foot of Catterall as the pair battled for front foot dominance, but was far too inactive to pick up rounds, instead looking to land single power shots.
Catterall wobbled Linares heavily in the fifth round, who stumbled back onto the ropes and managed to survive. Jack Catterall was able to win to following rounds, but didn’t look like knocking Linares down.
The crowd were growing impatient as a few boos rang out during a tepid eighth round lacking in any telling action until the final 10 seconds. The action never really caught fire as Linares wasn’t able to land the telling shot he wanted, and Catterall’s youth and footwork was vastly superior to the veteran. Linares picked up a few rounds but didn’t trouble Catterall at all in the contest, who was disciplined throughout.
The scorecards read: 117-111 (x2), 116-112
Jack Catterall wins via Unanimous Decision.
Post fight, Linares paid tribute to England, and said he didn’t mind losing, but he minds who he loses to. He views Jack Catterall as a world champion. Catterall said there was respect between the pair, but tonight was business. Jack Catterall called out Josh Taylor after the fight, calling him a “shithouse”. Eddie Hearn called tonight a masterful performance, but almost too respectful. He says there is bad blood between Catterall and Taylor, and it could be in Manchester or Glasgow in 2024.