Catterall has sat just behind world champion, Devin Haney, at the top of the WBO welterweight rankings since December of 2025.

The welterweight division is full of big names but, maybe understandably, they seem intent on fighting each other or tempting other well known fighters up from 140 pounds rather than taking care of their mandatory obligations.

Catterall has been here before. He reached the top spot in the WBO junior welterweight rankings all the way back in December 2018 but didn’t receive his first world title shot until he boxed then undisputed champion, Josh Taylor, in February 2022.

After realising that a fight with Haney was unlikely to happen in the near future, the 32-year-old from Chorley and his team considered their options and decided to change their plan of attack.

This weekend, Catterall (32-2, 14 KOs) and Shakhram Giyasov (17-0, 10 KOs) will fight for a WBA belt on The Ring's "Glory in Giza" card, which is headlined by the The Ring and WBC heavyweight title showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven.

“How long did I wait as WBO mandatory? I think it was almost coming up three years and it was the most frustrating time of my life,” Catterall told The Ring.

“So, for me, if there's a fight on the table it has to warrant turning that opportunity down but this did. A WBA regular world title on a massive bill eight to 10 weeks away from when it got proposed. I'm not going to say no to that.

“I could have been sat or being asked if I wanted a tick over fight. I'm 32 years old, I'm ready to fight anybody so if Haney ain't going to fight — and that's what I'm being told — then give me Shakhram.”

Moving to fight the undefeated Giyasov is a gamble but Catterall has decided to seize the bull by the horns and make himself a major player in the division. Beating the Uzbek is just the first stage of his plan.

Rolando "Rolly" Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) is the current WBA welterweight champion and the Las Vegas man will immediately rise to the top of Catterall’s hitlist should he get past Giyasov.

“My understanding is there's a contract in place with a timescale. He’s got to defend his title against me when I beat Shakram. If not, you vacate and then we’re on the hunt for more fights,” Catterall said.

“I was never prepared to do what I did years ago and almost be forced to sit on the bench and wait because it never worked out.

“I can't live with regrets. Everything at the time was what it was but I learned from it.”