BoxRec

Jack Catterall-Harlem Eubank in talks for July bout, says Eddie Hearn

Eddie Hearn has confirmed that a fight between Jack Catterall and Harlem Eubank is in the works for later this summer.

Catterall is on the comeback trail after narrowly losing out to Arnold Barboza Jnr for the WBO junior welterweight interim title in February. The Chorley, England, native missed out on a shot at Teofimo Lopez Jnr’s belt with the defeat, and Barboza went on to be well beaten by Lopez earlier this month.

Now Catterall is on the hunt for a name opponent to propel himself back into contention for a big fight. Harlem Eubank, the cousin of Chris Eubank Jnr, has been making a name for himself on one of the UK’s main broadcast channels, Channel 5, and has been racking up millions of viewers for his fights.

That, paired with his cousin’s recent performance against Conor Benn and the subsequent boost of the Eubank name, has underscored Harlem as an ideal opponent for Catterall. Caterall has made Manchester, England’s Co-op Live his home in recent fights, and Hearn – Catterall’s promoter – pegged Manchester as a possible location for the bout, with it likely being scheduled for July.

“We are in negotiations – I want to make that fight,” Hearn told Boxing Scene. “One, because I think it's a really good fight, and two, the Eubank name is hot right now, and I think it'll be a great build-up. I think Jack needs a really good fight to come back. Harlem's on a great run, been racking some big numbers on Channel 5. We hope to get it over the line. It's not done yet, but hopefully – watch this space.”

JACK CATTERALL, HARLEM EUBANK FINALISING DEAL FOR JULY 5 FIGHT AT MANCHESTER'S AO ARENA

Jack Catterall and Harlem Eubank are finalising a deal that will see the pair clash in a welterweight contest on July 5 at Manchester's AO Arena, The Ring can reveal.

Chorley's Catterall (30-2, 13 KOs) was last in action in February, losing a close split decision to Arnold Barboza Jr at the Co-Op Live Arena.

Eubank (21-0, 9 KOs), who has made a name for himself fighting on Channel 5 over the past several years under the Wasserman banner, stopped Tyrone McKenna in the 10th round at the Brighton Centre in his March outing.

Catterall has been looking for a big name to get himself back in the mix at both 140 and 147 pounds since his defeat to Barboza, and Eubank represents the perfect opportunity to do so.

Eubank is the cousin of Chris Jr and is routinely walked to the ring by uncle Chris Sr for his fights, which have attracted millions of viewers on terrestrial TV.

The Eubank name is hotter than ever in the UK after Chris Jr's historic unanimous decision win over Conor Benn last month on The Ring's first ever card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Over 65,000 fans piled into Spurs' Stadium for their cross-generational contest and the fight generated 620,000 pay-per-view buys worldwide.

Now Harlem, 31, will have his turn at further-etching the Eubank name in history.

Catterall is a crafty, awkward operator in the ring, however, and will represent the toughest test of Eubank's career by far. He holds wins over Jorge Linares, Josh Taylor and Regis Prograis, and arguably should've been made undisputed 140-pound champion in February 2022 when his first fight with Taylor ended in a hugely contentious split decision win for the Scotsman.

Though Eubank's profile has grown exponentially since fighting on Channel 5, his biggest victories have come against lesser opposition in McKenna, Timo Schwarzkopf and Ishmael Ellis.

Sam Jones, Catterall's manager, told The Ring at the beginning of April: "I know Harlem has had a meeting with his side, we've had very brief chats about the fight, but the numbers have got to be correct for Jack. If we get the numbers that we believe Jack's worth is, then we'll do the fight next, no problem."

It now looks like negotiations are at the finishing line, however, with an announcement expected imminently.

I love boxing and appreciate the finer points of the noble art, but I can see this being an absolute stinker. I hope I'm wrong.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑15 May 2025, 07:50 I love boxing and appreciate the finer points of the noble art, but I can see this being an absolute stinker. I hope I'm wrong.

Well it is a Catterall fight….

Catterall is not an entertaining boxer.

Too big a step up for Harlem.

Frostieballs wrote: ↑15 May 2025, 13:22 Too big a step up for Harlem.

Is it though ?

Wasn’t Catterall overrated on the basis of his unjust loss to a badly faded Taylor and victories against a totally shot by then Taylor and a way past his best Prograis

Maybe he was always just British / Euro level all along

CaptainSpacerod wrote: ↑15 May 2025, 14:45

Frostieballs wrote: ↑15 May 2025, 13:22 Too big a step up for Harlem.

Is it though ?

Wasn’t Catterall overrated on the basis of his unjust loss to a badly faded Taylor and victories against a totally shot by then Taylor and a way past his best Prograis

Maybe he was always just British / Euro level all along

Is Harlem Brit/ Euro level?

I'd have to be paid to watch this.

I think Jack is fading just enough to make this fairly close. Closer than it was maybe 18 months ago.
Harlem could win this just through work rate if he gives it the kitchen sink.
I actually don't mind the fight at all really.
The Eubank name only means something to the specific Eubanks. And this particular one is going to be tested, sink or swim, and I like that part. We will get a good indicator of Harlem.

Matchroom and DAZN will be quietly hoping Harlem comes through this as it would start the possibility of working towards another Benn/Eubank fight.

Catteral is boring as hell, isn’t a big ticket seller. There isn’t really anywhere lucrative they can take him.

Manchester Hitman wrote: ↑15 May 2025, 22:47 Matchroom and DAZN will be quietly hoping Harlem comes through this as it would start the possibility of working towards another Benn/Eubank fight.

Catteral is boring as hell, isn’t a big ticket seller. There isn’t really anywhere lucrative they can take him.

As I keep saying on here.... he is one of the biggest ticket sellers in this country. He gets 5k into arenas every time. The crowd at the Copperbox tomorrow will be similar to a Catterall fight.

There's no way Catterall shifts as many tickets as Fisher....nowhere close.

Selling a Catterall show relys on who the opponent is and who is appearing on the undercard.

You could probably put Fisher in a venue with just him fighting a reasonable opponent....like Allen...and Johnny could still sell thousands of tickets if him & his team pulled out all the stops.

A sadistic matchmaker has come up with this one, Looking to inflict maximum pain on the fans and viewers

Almost guaranteed to be unwatchable

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 04:13 There's no way Catterall shifts as many tickets as Fisher....nowhere close.

Selling a Catterall show relys on who the opponent is and who is appearing on the undercard.

You could probably put Fisher in a venue with just him fighting a reasonable opponent....like Allen...and Johnny could still sell thousands of tickets if him & his team pulled out all the stops.

How many fights of his have you been to? Keithmoonhangover was at the last one, too. Only Michael Gomez jr sold any reasonable amount on the undercard. Tomorrow has all the Essex sellers on, didn't Sains do a 1,000 on his debut? Didn't Liddard sell out on his own? Yet tomorrow isn't anywhere near sold out in a small arena.

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 04:13 There's no way Catterall shifts as many tickets as Fisher....nowhere close.

Selling a Catterall show relys on who the opponent is and who is appearing on the undercard.

You could probably put Fisher in a venue with just him fighting a reasonable opponent....like Allen...and Johnny could still sell thousands of tickets if him & his team pulled out all the stops.

I think Jonny probably sells more direct than Catterall but overall there’s not much difference in his sales vs Catterall’s.

The Copper Box fits about 7,500 and there’s c. 1,000 left tomorrow night. It may be that they limited the amount the Fishers could sell direct (I’d be surprised if that’s the case) but there will be 6,500 there tomorrow which is, I’d say, similar, or less, to what they’d get for most Catterall headliners.

maverick23 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 08:58

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 04:13 There's no way Catterall shifts as many tickets as Fisher....nowhere close.

Selling a Catterall show relys on who the opponent is and who is appearing on the undercard.

You could probably put Fisher in a venue with just him fighting a reasonable opponent....like Allen...and Johnny could still sell thousands of tickets if him & his team pulled out all the stops.

I think Jonny probably sells more direct than Catterall but overall there’s not much difference in his sales vs Catterall’s.

The Copper Box fits about 7,500 and there’s c. 1,000 left tomorrow night. It may be that they limited the amount the Fishers could sell direct (I’d be surprised if that’s the case) but there will be 6,500 there tomorrow which is, I’d say, similar, or less, to what they’d get for most Catterall headliners.

I'd also say both boxers have the same problem. They've both maximised their selling power within their home areas. Neither have the potential to sell many more.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 09:07

maverick23 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 08:58

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 04:13 There's no way Catterall shifts as many tickets as Fisher....nowhere close.

Selling a Catterall show relys on who the opponent is and who is appearing on the undercard.

You could probably put Fisher in a venue with just him fighting a reasonable opponent....like Allen...and Johnny could still sell thousands of tickets if him & his team pulled out all the stops.

I think Jonny probably sells more direct than Catterall but overall there’s not much difference in his sales vs Catterall’s.

The Copper Box fits about 7,500 and there’s c. 1,000 left tomorrow night. It may be that they limited the amount the Fishers could sell direct (I’d be surprised if that’s the case) but there will be 6,500 there tomorrow which is, I’d say, similar, or less, to what they’d get for most Catterall headliners.

I'd also say both boxers have the same problem. They've both maximised their selling power within their home areas. Neither have the potential to sell many more.

Yeah - Fisher hasn’t really kicked on from the tickets he was selling 18 months or so ago. He’s still doing great considering he’s probably around English title level but usually ticket sales keep creeping up as fighters go up in levels.

If he does the job against Allen then perhaps he’ll kick on but I think it’s also the DAZN effect in that they haven’t crossed over.

maverick23 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 12:34

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 09:07

maverick23 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 08:58

I think Jonny probably sells more direct than Catterall but overall there’s not much difference in his sales vs Catterall’s.

The Copper Box fits about 7,500 and there’s c. 1,000 left tomorrow night. It may be that they limited the amount the Fishers could sell direct (I’d be surprised if that’s the case) but there will be 6,500 there tomorrow which is, I’d say, similar, or less, to what they’d get for most Catterall headliners.

I'd also say both boxers have the same problem. They've both maximised their selling power within their home areas. Neither have the potential to sell many more.

Yeah - Fisher hasn’t really kicked on from the tickets he was selling 18 months or so ago. He’s still doing great considering he’s probably around English title level but usually ticket sales keep creeping up as fighters go up in levels.

If he does the job against Allen then perhaps he’ll kick on but I think it’s also the DAZN effect in that they haven’t crossed over.

Fisher obviously has a big family, lots of friends and friends of friends but he'll never crossover IMO. He is not charismatic.

I haven't been to a single Catterall bout as far as I recall and God willing I never will

I'm talking purely tickets to go and see either of those boxers fight. Fisher & co have a pretty good idea how many tickets they shift. It's in the thousands.

Catteral will know how many he sells too and it doesn't match Fisher's.

This is before we even get into the whether they have cross over appeal or how long they been professional or the level they box at respectively....if we do then Fisher's ticket numbers are even more impressive.

The DAZN effect is real. What real stars have come through since Matchroom have been on there? (And who haven't been on the umpteen Sky PPVs that they've jumped on).

If Fisher ironed out Allen in one round on Sky Sports (or vice-versa) it would be all over the shop.

To this day I'm convinced that Eddie wanted to lose a purse bid for Smith-Azim so he could have Smith build his profile winning on Sky.

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 12:58 I haven't been to a single Catterall bout as far as I recall and God willing I never will

I'm talking purely tickets to go and see either of those boxers fight. Fisher & co have a pretty good idea how many tickets they shift. It's in the thousands.

Catteral will know how many he sells too and it doesn't match Fisher's.

This is before we even get into the whether they have cross over appeal or how long they been professional or the level they box at respectively....if we do then Fisher's ticket numbers are even more impressive.

I was at a full Leeds arena for Taylor-Catterall 2. I'd put money on it it was in the thousands that Catterall sold personally and it will have been a bigger number than any Fisher has sold, including tomorrow.

Jimmy2025 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 12:58

maverick23 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 12:34

mickey1975 wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 09:07
I'd also say both boxers have the same problem. They've both maximised their selling power within their home areas. Neither have the potential to sell many more.

Yeah - Fisher hasn’t really kicked on from the tickets he was selling 18 months or so ago. He’s still doing great considering he’s probably around English title level but usually ticket sales keep creeping up as fighters go up in levels.

If he does the job against Allen then perhaps he’ll kick on but I think it’s also the DAZN effect in that they haven’t crossed over.

Fisher obviously has a big family, lots of friends and friends of friends but he'll never crossover IMO. He is not charismatic.

Apart from the boxing bubble nobody has heard of him

mickey1975, ok we'll have a pound on that
I say Fisher & co will have sold more tickets for his rematch with Allen than Catterall will sell for his contest with Harlem.