Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall: Trainer Jamie Moore blasts 'disgusting' scoring as promoter Ben Shalom calls for 'inquest'

Having dominated the first half of the fight and put the Scottish star down in the eighth round, almost all those watching the fight at ringside and at home thought the Lancastrian had upset the odds and taken the WBC, IBF, WBO and WBA super-lightweight titles from the undisputed champion in his own backyard.

But two of the three ringside judges saw things differently.

Both Ian John-Lewis, 114-11, and Victor Loughlin, 113-112, gave the nod to the home favourite who escaped with his titles and undefeated record via a barely believable split decision.

Speaking live on Sky Sports post fight, his trainer Jamie Moore just about kept his emotions in check.

“It’s difficult to put into words,” he said. “You’re talking about a kid who has worked all his life for that moment, who stepped aside and has waited three years for his opportunity, doing the right thing for boxing to allow for a unified champion to be crowned.

“He gets his opportunity, performs like that, and beats the champion in his own backyard, and gets absolutely robbed.

“Think about the message that sends to people watching. My son’s 16 and just getting into boxing but he’ll be looking at that thinking ‘why should I get into boxing’.

“You work all your life for that moment, to be a world champion, and it’s snatched away from you.

“It’s disgusting. You’ve asked Jack to come and speak but as if Jack can speak, he’s absolutely heartbroken.”

Ben Shalom, whose Boxxer company promoted the fight alongside American giants Top Rank, also pulled no punches with questionable scoring increasingly becoming an issue that rears its head on big nights for the sport on our shores.

“There has to be an inquest,” he said. “I’ve seen this on other promoters’ shows and I’ve laid the blame at them, or not understood what’s gone on.

“This is embarrassing. If there’s not an inquest, it’ll harm the sport. We’ll do everything we can. I’m not just embarrassed, I’m really angry. How many times do we have to be here before something’s done? I was worried this would happen, and that says a lot.”

Taylor however raised a few eyebrows post-fight by insisting there was no controversy.

“He (Catterall) put up a good fight that’s for sure, but he never won the fight and he knows he never won the fight,” the Scottish star told Sky.

“In the second half of the fight I started taking over, and I got the win.

“I don’t think there’s any need for a rematch. I think I won the fight and by a couple of rounds."

Bookmaker Paddy Power took the unusual step of refunding bets on Catterall to win, such was the reaction to the final verdict with the fallout set to continue in the days and weeks to come.

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