When Catterall steps into the ring beneath the ancient backdrop of the pyramids Saturday, he does so as a fighter who has already lived through one of boxing’s cruelest lessons: sometimes winning the fight is not enough.

This time, there is also a title at stake.

Catterall will face undefeated Shakhram Giyasov of Uzbekistan for the WBA “regular” welterweight title, a fight that places the British southpaw directly back into the championship conversation at 147 pounds. For a fighter whose career has been interrupted by controversy and setbacks, the opportunity represents another crucial turning point.

Four years ago in Glasgow, Catterall appeared to outbox Josh Taylor over 12 ounds. He scored a knockdown, controlled long stretches of the action and left many observers convinced he had become the new undisputed junior welterweight champion. Instead, the scorecards handed Taylor a split decision that immediately triggered outrage across the sport.

To many fans and analysts, the outcome with Taylor became one of the defining robbery debates of the last few years. But for Catterall, it was personal devastation.

A fighter from Chorley, Lancashire, who once worked laying tarmac to support his boxing career, Catterall had spent years patiently climbing toward that opportunity. He agreed to step aside during the title unification process that allowed Taylor and Jose Ramirez to crown an undisputed champion, believing his own moment would eventually come.

When the moment finally arrived, he performed like a world champion. Yet he left without the belts.

That kind of loss can permanently alter a fighter’s trajectory. Some never recover emotionally from it. Others become mentally trapped and continuously talk about injustice instead of building toward the future. Catterall chose a different route.

Rather than disappear into bitterness, he rebuilt himself fight by fight. The frustration from Glasgow transformed into motivation for the future. Every performance afterward carried the edge of a man trying to force boxing to acknowledge what he believed had already happened once before.

And eventually, he got his revenge. In the rematch with Taylor, Catterall finally secured the official victory that many believed he deserved all along, defeating his Scottish rival and closing the controversial chapter between them.

However, boxing rarely allows fighters to stay comfortable for long.

Just as Catterall appeared fully positioned for another major title run, he suffered a narrow setback against Arnold Barboza in a highly competitive fight that once again tested his resilience. It was the type of loss that could have derailed momentum, especially after the emotional energy invested in finally correcting the Taylor storyline.

Instead, Catterall treated it as another rebuilding point. The way Catterall responded probably says more about him than the loss itself. Earlier in his career, injustice may have threatened to define him. Now, adversity seems to sharpen him.

The matchup with Giyasov presents a completely different challenge. Unbeaten, he’s aggressive, physically strong and carries a relentless style that contrasts sharply with Catterall’s calculated, technical approach. It is also Catterall’s opportunity to fully establish himself at welterweight after years campaigning at 140.

And while the “regular” title does not carry the same status as the organization’s full championship, which is held by Rolando Romero, winning it would still place Catterall in a very strategic position within one of boxing’s deepest divisions.

The setting only amplifies the moment. Fighting beneath the pyramids is the kind of stage boxing rarely offers, and it gives Catterall a chance to prove he still belongs among the sport’s best.

This is no longer the overlooked challenger seeking validation. This is a seasoned contender who has endured controversy, disappointment and career uncertainty — and still fought his way back into relevance.

At 32, Catterall understands that elite boxing offers no guarantees. Every major shot matters and every setback carries consequences. Now he heads to Egypt with another chance to put himself right back in the middle of the welterweight picture.

Not simply as the man who was robbed against Taylor. But as a fighter who refused to let that moment define the limits of his future.