Boxing expert Chris Oliver gives his verdict on Saturday's big fight between Jack Catterall and Harlem Eubank in Manchester.
Boxing betting tips: Saturday July 5
3pts Jack Catterall to win by unanimous decision at 11/10 (bet365)
Things can change very quickly in boxing – just ask Jack Catterall.
After marquee victories over former undisputed king Josh Taylor and then ex-champion Regis Prograis, Catterall was one fight away from a big title shot but lost a tight decision to Arnold Barboza Jr in February. Now, the Chorley southpaw finds himself very much at the back of the queue again.
On Saturday, he bids to get back on track against Harlem Eubank, who has a perfect 21-fight record (nine wins early) and can catapult himself into the big time with a victory this weekend.
Catterall has home advantage at the Manchester Arena and rightly so, given he has achieved by far the most of these two.
The boxing world was in uproar when he didn’t get the decision he deserved against Taylor first time around when fighting for all the marbles at 140lb. Catterall won a barnstorming rematch in style and dropped Prograis en route to another decision victory.
Fresh start for classy Catterall
He should have got his shot then but faced one more eliminator versus Barboza and had an off night. There was little between them in a forgettable contest, but Catterall let the opportunity slip through his fingers by being far too passive and must have been kicking himself after that defeat in a very winnable fight.
It’s a fresh start for him up at 147lb here, with a big performance getting him right back into the title mix and he is 4/11 to return to winning ways.
Both men are 31, but Eubank’s career has been much more of a slow burner, and he finally gets the opportunity for a breakthrough success.
The nephew of Chris Eubank Snr and the cousin of Chris Eubank Jr, he is the lesser known of the famous fighting family from Brighton and has waited a long time for this chance to shine.
He won’t be put off by his odds of 13/5, especially after producing a career-best performance last time out when dropping Tyrone McKenna three times on his way to a 10th round stoppage in March. Admittedly, it wasn’t the same version of McKenna who was outpointed by Catterall in 2018, but Eubank boxed well that night and looks as ready for this opportunity as he will ever be.
With good feet and fast hands, Eubank uses plenty of feints and head movement, while also changing the levels of his attacks well. He can be explosive when launching his attacks, while the upward trajectory of his career makes it interesting after Catterall’s below-par performance last time out. Was it a blip or is the favourite on the decline?
Catterall’s defeat to Barboza hasn’t worked out too well, with the latter easily beaten by the top-class Teofimo Lopez since, but this is a huge step up in class for Eubank and the difference in quality should be apparent.
What are the best bets?
Always working behind a strong and effective jab, Catterall is a smart fighter who controls the distance very well and shows great patience, which regularly pays off as he makes his opponents walk on to hard counters. We have seen how hard Catterall is to nail cleanly behind his shoulder roll defence, and finding the target could be an issue for the underdog.
Catterall can’t be as passive as he was against Barboza but that may have been a wake-up call, and I expect him to stamp his authority on this contest to show he is a level above Eubank.
If he is back on song, then he can walk Eubank on to shots regularly from the middle rounds, even if the first half of the fight may be a little bit cagey and turn into a battle of the jabs.
Headlining in a large arena is not something Eubank is used to, but it is second nature to Catterall now and that experience of the big occasion can serve the latter well, having mixed in much better company.
Another positive for Catterall is that he’s not stepping up to face a big welterweight, with Eubank only recently moving up himself and they are about the same size.
Catterall’s last eight fights have gone the distance and 4/6 is the best you will find about him winning on points here, but it is 11/10 for him to land a unanimous decision and that looks a very solid bet to me.
Former super featherweight champion Joe Cordina makes his long-awaited comeback at lightweight against Jaret Gonzalez Quiroz, who shouldn’t be on the same level as Cordina, while the exciting Pat Brown should make it three stoppage wins from three when he continues his apprenticeship against Lewis Oakford.
Posted at 1310 BST on 03/07/25
Boxing: Related content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
