Given his recent level of activity and caliber of opposition, Jack Catterall is one of the form fighters in world boxing.

Over the past 15 months, Catterall, 30-1 (13 KOs), has defeated multi-weight champion, Jorge Linares, gained revenge over former undisputed junior welterweight champion, Josh Taylor, and outlasted two-time 140lb title holder, Regis Prograis.

The 31 year-old from Chorley is expecting a different type of challenge when he fights undefeated American, Arnold Barboza Jnr, 31-0 (11 KOs), for the WBO Interim junior welterweight title on February 15th.

The fight takes place at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena and will be screened live worldwide by DAZN.

Linares, Taylor and Prograis had all reached the top of the mountain by the time they met Catterall but 33 year-old Barboza Jnr - who is ranked No.9 by The Ring - has been boxing for over eleven years and has yet to receive a world title shot.

Catterall - The Ring’s No. 2 ranked junior welterweight - knows exactly what it feels like to spend years clawing and scratching for an opportunity.

“Yeah, and that's exciting. We’re both in that same position where we know what's next,” Catterall told The Ring.

“You don't get too bent up on thinking about it but we both know in the back of our minds that a victory secures a mega fight with a world champion to fight for a world title. That’s what we all crave so I know he's going to come and bring it and that makes it all the more exciting for us both.”

Back in 2022, Catterall appeared to have done enough to rip away Taylor’s undisputed junior welterweight titles. Instead, the Scotsman retained his belts with a controversial split decision victory.

One of the aspects of the result that bothered Catterall’s team the most was the feeling that he had been robbed of the once in a lifetime moment of hearing himself announced as ‘the new undisputed junior welterweight champion of the world.’

Years later, a different type of boxing politics may once again prevent Catterall from hearing himself announced as a champion.

Ring Magazine champion, Teofimo Lopez, holds the full WBO title but the American’s time in the 140lb division is short.

Whether he does engage in a rumored final fling with IBF champion, Richardson Hitchins, before moving up to the welterweight division or not, it is all but certain that he will vacate the WBO belt before Catterall gets the chance to take him on.

Given the path he has walked to reach his point, it is hard to imagine a fighter who deserves their moment of glory more than Catterall.

It looks increasingly likely that his fight with Barboza Jr will be a defacto world title fight but if he were to win, official confirmation that he had accomplished his lifelong goal would only arrive at some point in the future when Lopez announces his seemingly inevitable move to 147lbs.

Catterall is a rational character who prefers to focus on the things he does know rather than worrying about those he can’t control.

The tag attached to the title doesn’t concern him, what he does know for sure is that if he beats Barboza Jr, the remainder of his career will be spent engaging in the type of fights that will afford him plenty of recognition.

“It's a final eliminator, it's an interim world title which probably gives it a little bit more security given the time frame Teo’s got to defend in if he does defend, e.t.c,” he said.

“I just know that a victory over Barbosa, it's the last time I'm going to be in an eliminator before I get my chance to fight for a world title.”

The term ‘e-mail champion’ is a modern invention that fails to do justice to the years of hard work ad sacrifice it takes to win a title belt. It isn’t one Catterall deserves to be labelled with.

“No, I don't want to be an e-mail champion, but the business we’re in, that is a possibility where I'm at right now,” he said.

“A victory over Barbosa, Teo doesn't stick around, he goes to fight at 147, vacates the belt, and I get an e-mail and I get upgraded then that's my fate. What’s meant for you won't miss you. If that's the case, I go out there and defend it in a big fight against a great champion and get that moment where they say, ‘and still.’

“I really don't know [what Lopez’s plan is]. I think he's had a lot of success as a young fighter. I believe he's only 25, 26. He's had a lot of success young. It seems like he's got a lot going on in his personal life and his professional life. He's up and down, he blows hot and cold.

“So, you know what? There's no ill feelings towards him. I wish him all the best. I want to see him in the ring, I want to fight him and I want him to keep on fighting and we all want to fight each other.”