On July 5th, confusion swept through Manchester Arena as the highly anticipated Harlem Eubank vs. Jack Catterall headliner ended in controversy. The all-English clash began competitively, with Eubank showcasing slick footwork and movement. But the momentum shifted dramatically in the sixth round following a brutal head clash that left both fighters cut. Catterall, a southpaw, appeared to suffer the worst of it, blood streaming from a gash above his right eye impaired his vision and altered the course of the bout.

‘El Gato’ was eager to rebound after a narrow split-decision loss to former interim WBO super lightweight champion Arnold Barboza, his second defeat since the Josh Taylor bout in 2022. Though he emerged victorious this time, it was far from the convincing win he had hoped for. Meanwhile, the previously unbeaten Harlem Eubank entered the ring fresh off a strong showing against Tyrone McKenna, only to see his night end under disappointing circumstances. Unsurprisingly, Turki Alalshikh, the current chairman of GEA, expressed clear displeasure over the unsatisfying outcome.

Taking a jab at how poorly the fight turned out, HE Turki Alalshikh wasted no time voicing his disappointment. Moments after the final bell, he took to X and posted, “This is not Tom and Jerry, this is Jerry and Jerry. This isn’t boxing I’m watching. 🤷‍♂️.” Just weeks earlier, HE Alalshikh had publicly declared his frustration with lackluster bouts, stating he no longer wanted to promote boring fights. So when Jack Catterall failed to deliver a memorable performance, the GEA chairman made his disapproval clear. The post drew criticism, with some arguing that fighters know the sport better than anyone and that promoters shouldn’t dictate how they perform or cross lines to entertain. And Jack Catterall didn’t let the comment slide.

Hours after HE Alalshikh’s tweet went viral, Jack Catterall clapped back on X with a retweet, adding, “I’ll study more Haney and Shakur going forward 👀.” His sarcastic jab referenced Devin Haney’s cautious, low-risk win over José Ramírez on May 2nd, a fight HE Alalshikh himself promoted, and Shakur Stevenson’s underwhelming performance against Josh Padley on February 22, a late replacement. Despite winning, Stevenson was criticized for his inability to assert dominance early in the bout. In referencing those names, Catterall pointed to what he and many others see as hypocrisy in how performances are judged based on promoter interests.

Catterall later addressed the situation more seriously. “Listen to be a boxer you have to accept any criticism I won last night but not how i wanted to win so I’ll let the cut heel and I’ll be back in the gym to keep improving. But make no mistake I will fight absolutely anyone,” he wrote. The seventh-round technical decision wasn’t the victory Catterall had envisioned either. Still, the 32-year-old made it clear he wasn’t making excuses and promised to return stronger with a more explosive performance in his next outing. But given the backlash and the unsatisfying nature of the bout, the question is: what exactly went wrong in Manchester?

Harlem Eubank slams ref and commentators after controversial Jack Catterall defeat

The profuse bleeding from a head clash in the sixth round prompted the referee to call a timeout and issue a warning to both fighters. By the seventh round, after a brief consultation with ringside officials, the referee made the decision to halt the bout. The contest then went to the scorecards, with all three judges awarding Jack Catterall the victory: 69-66, 69-66, and 69-65, making him the new IBF Inter-Continental welterweight champion and handing Harlem Eubank his first career loss.

Unsurprisingly, both fighters were left frustrated, eager to continue what had started as a competitive bout. While Jack Catterall moved on quickly, Harlem Eubank, the nephew of British boxing legend Chris Eubank, was visibly upset with the stoppage. In the post-fight interview, the Brighton native voiced his confusion over the referee’s decision. “We was looking at the other corner. The ref went over to the other corner. My doctor approved everything my side. You know, we was raring to go and his corner um they, you know, his corner was told he couldn’t continue,” Eubank explained.

Eubank also criticized the commentators for what he believed was clear favoritism toward Catterall throughout the broadcast. “It was nothing to do with me and that was a fake narrative, um, live on the commentary,” he said. “There were so-called independent commentators in his dressing room before the fight and coaching him ringside. I’ve not experienced something like that.”

A rematch now feels like the only way to settle the controversy and give Harlem Eubank a chance at redemption. And for Jack Catterall, it offers an opportunity to validate his win and remove any lingering doubts about bias. Without it, the victory, and the title will remain shadowed by the circumstances that ended the fight prematurely. So what do you think of the situation?