Following a controversial loss to Josh Taylor in February 2022 for the unified light welterweight title, many consider Jack Catterall the champion. He rebounded from his first professional setback to win the vacant WBA intercontinental light welterweight crown and is set to defend as a heavy favorite against former three division champion Jorge Linares on October 21 in Liverpool. With an eye on a Taylor rematch Catterall can’t afford to overlook his ageing but still difficult opponent. Catterall opened as a prohibitive +800 favorite.
On the down slope of his career, t he 38-year-old Linares had held world championships in three weight classes, including the WBC featherweight, the WBA super-featherweight, and most recently the WBA, WBC and Ring Magazine lightweight titles. He enters this scheduled bout on a three-fight losing streak and has dropped five of his last eight fights since losing the lightweight titles to Vasiliy Lomachenko in May 2018. While he’s one of the most formidable opponents to go against Catterall, Linares is still a big underdog at +500 on the opening boxing betting line.
Jack Catterall vs. Jorge Linares Betting Odds
The 12-round super lightweight clash between Jack Catterall ( 27-1, 13 KOs ) and Jorge Linares ( 47-8, 29 KOs ) will take place at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England, on Saturday, October 21, 2023 and will air on DAZN pay-per-view.
Jack Catterall vs. Jorge Linares Fight Preview
While waiting to arrange a rematch with Taylor after his controversial setback in February, 2022, Catterall remained out of the ring. The two sides failed to reach an agreement and Catterall eventually took a bout against Darragh Foley, which he won by unanimous decision to claim the vacant WBA intercontinental light welterweight title in May. The 15-month hiatus didn’t seem to affect ‘El Gato’ as he pummeled his opponent en route to the decision.
The goal remains a rematch with Taylor, though that possible bout lost some of its luster with Taylor losing the WBO and The Ring Magazine light welterweight titles to Teofimo Lopez in June. And his eagerness to go against Taylor can’t get in the way of what lies ahead. Linares isn’t the fighter he once was, but the former champ still needs the attention. Linares is likely the second toughest opponent Catterall has faced in a career that’s seen him win all but one of his 28 professional fights.
“There is talk of a huge fight for me after this, but it’ll count for nothing if I take my eye off the ball, which I can’t afford to do at this stage of my career. It’s no secret my career has lacked momentum, so after boxing in May and now October, I believe you’ll see the best version of me on Oct. 21,” Catterall said recently.
For Linares this fight is about redemption. The former champ was competitive in a decision loss to Devin Haney in May 2021 and lost his last two bouts in Russia to Zaur Abdullaev by TKO and Zhora Hamazaryan by decision last December. Prior to his recent string of losses, Linares looked like a former champion earning a decisive unanimous decision over Al Toyogon and scoring a fourth-round KO of Carlos Morales five months later.
Back in his first title bout since losing to Lomachenko three years earlier, Linares dropped Haney in the 10th round with a powerful combination but couldn’t finish him off, instead getting the first decision loss of his professional career. Linares has seen and done it all since his first pro bout in 2002 winning his first 27 fights and holding belts in the 126, 130 and 135 pound weight classes.
Bet Jack Catterall vs. Jorge Linares
Recent results indicate Linares is at the tail end of his career and the odds suggest the same. I have a hard time backing Catterall at his price so it behooves backers to get more specific with a method of victory and round number shrinking the odds. Both fighters are motivated for different reasons with Catterall looking at a bigger payday down the line while Linares is after a win. I don’t think Catterall will overlook his opponent and Linares has faded in the later rounds of his most recent fights making the favorite the likely winner.
Boxing Odds Pick: Jack Catterall / (TKO)
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