Catterall is ready to take on world and win in 2018

Jack Catterall celebrates beating Tyrone Nurse after their Super Lightweight bout at the First Direct Arena, Leeds.

Catterall, 24, topped a sublime 2017 by beating super-lightweight champion Tyrone Nurse at the Leeds Arena in October.

Victory for Catterall, who improved his record to 19-0 (10 knockouts), meant he became Chorley’s third Lord Lonsdale title holder, the first at super-lightweight, with welterweight Michael Jennings and lightweight Carl Crook being the other two champions.

Now Catterall has set his sights on becoming the first world title holder from the area, with a potential summer clash with Terry Flanagan on the cards.

Catterall said of his aims for 2018: “I just want to close in on that world title, remain in good health and keep on fighting,

“There’s a possible chance of that in summer time 2018 with another British boxer in Terry Flanagan.”

It has been a great year for Catterall, who also switched trainer to Haroon Headley in 2017.

That British title win came after he emphatically retained his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Inter-Continental Super-Lightweight title against Martin Gethin.

Southpaw Catterall dominated proceedings at the Manchester Arena, dropping the Walsall man in the second round.

But after a year that saw him fight just twice, the Chorley boxer is hoping for more action this year.

He said: “In boxing you can never plan too far ahead.

“But this last year has gone better than I ever could have imagined.

“I won the British title, had a successful defence of my WBO title.

“So I’m over the moon really.

“I only had the two fights in 2017 and I’d prefer to be a bit more active.

“But at the same time everything happens for a reason and I can’t really complain.”

As well as hoping for a shot at the world prize Catterall is looking to defend that WBO title again.

But says patience will be key to another record-breaking year.

He said: “I’m hoping to fight in March a defence of the WBO title, nothing set in concrete, just training from now on.

“You have got to be patient.”

And Catterall praised his trainer Headley for pushing him to reach his potential as they target another big year.

He said: “We have a great working relationship and he has given me that extra push.

“He turns up to every session, he is always there trying to bring the best out of me.”