From the opening rounds, Catterall controlled the pace with his southpaw jab, sharp timing and disciplined footwork. Giyasov tried to press forward and close the distance, but the British contender repeatedly picked him off with clean counters and body shots as he kept the fight at the distance he wanted.
Catterall’s accuracy and ring control steadily separated the two fighters as the rounds progressed.
The biggest moment of the fight came when Catterall scored a takedown, which helped widen the gap on the scorecards and forced Giyasov into a more desperate approach. While Giyasov showed toughness and continued to work his way back into the contest with pressure and body shots, he struggled to consistently land clean against Catterall’s defensive movement and counter punches.
By the second half of the battle, Catterall appeared fully in command.
The victory gave the former junior welterweight contender his first title at 147 pounds and immediately solidified his position in a crowded welterweight division. Catterall entered the fight to establish himself among the top names at the new weight after years of competing at 140, and Saturday’s performance likely answered many of the questions about how his style would carry up.
For Giyasov, the defeat was the first loss of his professional career.
The unbeaten Uzbek contender entered the bout as a dangerous pressure fighter with strong momentum, but Catterall’s timing, discipline and ability to control distance proved difficult to unravel over 12 rounds. By the final bell, the outcome felt clear long before the official scorecards were announced.
 turned in one of the best performances of his career on Saturday night, defeating Shakhram Giyasov (17-1, 10 KOs) by unanimous){kind=link}