Barboza Vs Catterall: Arnold Barboza Jnr Wins By Split Decision, Eyes Teofimo Lopez

MANCHESTER, England – In a fight that could have gone either way, Barboza vs Catterall ended with Arnold Barboza Jnr pulling off a razor-thin split-decision victory over Jack Catterall at the Co-op Live Arena. With this win, Barboza Jnr now moves one step closer to a world title shot against WBO junior-welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez.

It wasn’t a fight filled with fireworks, but Barboza vs Catterall was a tense, tactical battle where every small moment mattered. Both fighters struggled to truly dominate, leading to an incredibly close contest that had fans on the edge of their seats.

A Slow and Cautious Start

From the opening bell, it was clear that neither man wanted to make an early mistake. The first round saw both fighters feeling each other out, throwing cautious jabs and testing the distance. The home favorite, Catterall, found an early opening with a looping left hand but just missed with a follow-up right that skimmed the top of Barboza Jnr’s head.

The second round wasn’t much different. Both fighters continued to edge forward, trying to find an opening. Catterall landed the most significant punch of the round—a sharp right over the top—but it wasn’t enough to truly shake Barboza Jnr.

The Fight Finally Comes to Life

Things started heating up in the third. Both men continued to wait for the other to make a mistake, but Barboza Jnr finally took the initiative, whipping in a strong body shot. Catterall took it well and fired back with a left hand that snapped Barboza Jnr’s head back.

By the fourth round, the pace picked up even more. Barboza Jnr found success with wild hooks to the body, while Catterall responded with clean left hands to the head. In the fifth, Catterall started to look more comfortable—his punches to the body were landing, and he was making Barboza Jnr miss more frequently. He seemed to be figuring his opponent out.

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Source: Arnold Barboza Jnr beats Jack Catterall to earn shot at Teofimo Lopez’s title

Back-and-Forth Action as the Fight Stays Even

Catterall kept pushing the pace in the sixth, throwing a left and a right early in the round. Barboza Jnr took the punches well and responded with a right hand of his own.

The American had his best round in the seventh. He landed two solid right hands to Catterall’s body, then went upstairs and connected with two more heavy rights to the head. This momentum carried into the eighth round, where Barboza Jnr used his longer reach to catch Catterall as he came forward.

With the fight still too close to call, the ninth round followed a similar pattern. Catterall landed cleaner punches, but Barboza Jnr kept catching him with looping shots over the top. The tenth was another toss-up, but controversy struck when Catterall landed a solid left to the body, making Barboza Jnr stumble backward. The crowd erupted, thinking it was a knockdown, but referee Steve Gray ruled it a slip and let the action continue.

Barboza vs Catterall: Arnold Barboza Jnr Wins by Split Decision, Eyes Teofimo Lopez

A Dramatic Final Push

As the eleventh round began, both fighters knew the fight was up for grabs. Catterall pressed forward, landing two well-placed left hands to Barboza Jnr’s nose. But Barboza Jnr shook them off and flicked out a sharp jab in response.

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When the twelfth and final round started, both men fought like they believed they were ahead. Barboza Jnr landed a looping right hand that momentarily stunned Catterall. The two traded jabs until the final bell rang, both raising their hands as if they had done enough to win.

Then came the moment of truth. The first scorecard read 115-113 for Catterall, and the Manchester crowd roared. The second scorecard read 115-113 for Barboza Jnr, silencing the cheers. All eyes were on the final scorecard—115-113 for Barboza Jnr.

The American fell to his knees in celebration, overwhelmed with emotion. Meanwhile, Catterall, devastated by yet another close loss, buried his face in his hands.

What’s Next for Barboza Jnr and Catterall?

With this win, Barboza Jnr improves to 32-0 (11 KOs) and puts himself in line for a shot at Teofimo Lopez’s WBO junior-welterweight title. Whether he’s ready for that challenge remains to be seen, but this win will surely boost his confidence.

For Catterall (30-2, 13 KOs), this is another heartbreaking loss in a career full of close calls. He fought well, but once again, the decision didn’t go his way. He’ll now have to regroup and figure out his next move.

It wasn’t the most action-packed fight, but it was a high-stakes, technical battle that came down to the finest of margins. And now, Arnold Barboza Jnr finds himself one step closer to the biggest fight of his career.