JACK CATTERALL grabbed Josh Taylor by the neck during their explosive first face-off.
Tempers flared between the boxing rivals ahead of their highly-anticipated rematch in April.
Taylor controversially won their previous meeting via split decision in February 2022 to defend his light-welterweight world titles.
The pair are now set to settle their rivalry at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on April 27.
Ahead of the bout, a press conference was held in Edinburgh on Monday.
The tense press conference went back and forth with insults before Manchester’s 30-year-old Catterall said Taylor “can’t even see straight”.
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The 33-year-old Tartan Tornado hit back with x-rated insults and shouts of “rat”.
And when they were posed close together for a photo opportunity, Taylor lashed out his arms and shoved Catterall backwards.
The Scot placed a hand on his opponent’s waist before Catterall reached out for Taylor’s throat.
And then there was a rapid move from southpaw Taylor and a security separation.
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After Taylor landed the most significant shove, he shouted out “I can see straight now can’t I?”
Broadcasters DAZN called for another stare-down with promoter Eddie Hearn involved.
But Catterall lashed out first this time and the pair were separated until the second leg in Manchester on Tuesday.
Taylor said: “the guy is obviously riled up, he tried to put his hands on me.
“He is trying to wind me up but he doesn’t have the brains to do it.”
But Catterall disagreed and again suggested his foe was not fully fit, saying: “He has been in hiding for two years, I’ve not been able to find him.
“He came out today but he didn’t look too clever.”
Catterall was handed his first professional loss in their first meeting two years ago.
El Gato left Taylor with two cuts by his left eye and knocked him down, but was only given the nod by one of the three judges.
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Both fighters were deducted points during the bout, which also had a heated build-up between the long-term rivals.
Taylor, who was also unbeaten at the time of the first fight, lost his WBO light-welterweight title to Teofimo Lopez in June last year.
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Ciaran Wiseman
