Josh Taylor has launched a stinging attack on Jack Catterall, claiming his bitter rival is 'coming across a little bit desperate'.

Taylor, 31, won a close albeit controversial split decision victory over Catterall, 28, at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on February 26.

The Englishman boxed magnificently in front of a hostile Scottish crowd with many believing he had done enough to capture the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO super-lightweight world titles, only to be left shocked by the judges' scorecards.

Unsurprisingly Catterall was left feeling mightily aggrieved, as he along with many others rightly or wrongly felt that the result should have gone the other way.

But Scottish legend Taylor has hit out at his English rival, who he claims has been spouting his mouth off on social media since that defeat.

Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: "He's coming across a little bit desperate.

"I can understand where he comes from, he felt like he won the fight, I'd be disappointed as well.

"But I wouldn't be moaning and groaning the way he's going on and on, it's just ridiculous.

josh-taylor-jack-catterall-split-decision-february

Josh Taylor beat Jack Catterall by split decision back in February

"I can understand how he's feeling, he felt like he won the fight, I felt like I did just enough to win the fight so it was a close fight, it could have gone either way, the judges gave it to me.

"The way he's acted since and the way he's coming across on social media makes me want to shut him up. It's one of the main reasons I stayed at 140 so I could get that fight."

Taylor, who recently vacated his WBA super-lightweight world title, is currently locked in talks to make a mandatory defence of his remaining belts against Jose Zepeda.

He added: "We're doing everything we can in our power to make this fight happen alongside the Zepeda fight as well. If not after the Zepeda fight then next.

"This time around the motivation is there which I never had the last time, the motivation is there because of everything that has happened since the fight.

"Hopefully the sooner the better for me. The only reason I'm staying at the weight is to fight Catterall. Obviously Zepeda is a huge fight as well, that's the one that looks like it's happening next.

"If that's happening next I'll be focusing on him straight away, giving him all my attention and focus and forgetting about Catterall at the minute.

"The real reason I'm staying at this weight is to get that fight, but if it doesn't happen it's on their side, we're doing everything on our side to make sure it happens."