In the sport of boxing, anything can happen.
It almost feels like blasphemy to say it, but the reason Katie Taylor’s fight against Chantelle Cameron is so massive, is because she could actually lose it.
The Wicklow warrior is undefeated and has jumped over every single hurdle put in front of her, so it is hard to see anything other than a win for Taylor.
Throw in the fact that it’s her homecoming fight in Dublin, and the crowd will bring an atmosphere so magical, that it would nearly feel criminal for there to be any other outcome.
However, this is boxing, not a fairytale, and Cameron is one hell of a boxer, who will go into this bout believing that she can pull off the unthinkable, and beat Taylor on home soil.
Here are the three reasons why:
The home crowd
Now hear me out, yes the home crowd will help galvanise Taylor if she gets in any trouble, and it certainly won’t do her any harm if the fight goes to points.
However, Cameron and her trainer Jamie Moore, have made no secret about the fact that it’s pointless trying to out-box Taylor, and even went as far as saying that “would be crazy.”
Moore has said that Cameron is officially “off the leash”, and she will be gunning her opponent down from the first bell, bring an incredible amount of intensity, aggression and energy, just throwing everything she can to turn this into a dog fight – therefore giving her the best chance of hitting Taylor flush, and stopping the fight.
Of course the Bray native is more than capable of fighting from mid-range, working everything off the jab and not getting involved with anything silly, but if almost 10,000 people are urging her forward, the natural fighter in her could take over, and that might just play into Cameron’s hands.
The weight advantage
Taylor is the one moving up in weight for this fight, as Cameron is the naturally bigger boxer, and although the size difference is marginal, it can prove crucial if the bout were turn into a brawling match.
The Irish hero loves to throws punches in flurries then move off to create a new angle, but with Cameron’s extra size and power, if she gets her timing right, Taylor could be in danger of moving into a clean shot that shakes her.
Miles on the clock
Taylor is one of the most durable fighters in the sport, but it’s no secret that she’s up against time as the 37-year-old has racked up serious miles on the clock.
It was 11 years ago when the Celtic queen stole our hearts and won gold at the Olympics, and she has barely taken a break since then.
Plus, her battle against Amanda Serrano was one of the most gruelling fights she’s ever had to endure, and although she managed to get through it, who knows just how much it’s taken out of her?
At 32, Cameron is the younger fresher boxer, who has jumped at this opportunity with an insatiable hunger to cement her name in history.
Conclusion
Ultimately, I believe Taylor will win on points, and although Cameron will have some success on the inside, especially if she can keep the centre of the ring, the two minute rounds are just not enough time for her to really pin Taylor down and do some damage.
The homegrown hero is too busy for Cameron to steal the rounds, and too durable to be knocked out by a single punch, so the evidence would suggest that Taylor wins on the scorecards, but anything is possible.
Related links:
- Chantelle Cameron had bizarre demand before accepting Katie Taylor fight
- Katie Taylor on her sporting ‘Roy Keane’ and potentially following him into punditry
- Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron: Fight time, how to watch and live hub for historic homecoming bout
