"I'm looking forward to the rematch!"
Sometimes in boxing, the rivalries and comebacks after set-backs are what make boxing greats ascend to another level. Katie Taylor
has found a fitting rival in Chantelle Cameron.
Stepping up a weight class to face an opponent that had a height, reach and age advantage, Katie Taylor was not on the look-out for a gimme opponent in her homecoming.
Cameron [18-0] certainly looked bigger and stronger than Taylor and she was able to grind the Bray boxer down, stalking after her in the early rounds. It was enough for DAZN pundits Alycia Baumgardner and Andy Lee to score the fight 4-2 after six rounds.
In the end, Taylor's bout with the 32-year-old from England was scored a draw by one judge, with
the other two giving it to Cameron 96-64. That result brought a lot of booing from the partisan crowd at the 3 Arena, in Dublin. Reflecting on how well Cameron performed on Taylor's home patch, Tony Bellew told DAZN:
"The whole of the 9,000 people were booing and jeering her. It's one of the most hostile arenas I've ever experienced."
Cameron was getting booed, too, in her post-fight interview but a few words from Katie Taylor got many in the crowd to give the victor the credit her win deserved.
[caption id="attachment_287969" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Katie Taylor v Chantelle Cameron, Undisputed Super-Lightweight World Title Fight. (Picture by Mark Robinson - Matchroom Boxing)[/caption]
Katie Taylor on Chantelle Cameron
Truth be told, any fighter that dared to rain on the homecoming parade of Katie Taylor was going to get it in the ear. The fact that Chantelle Cameron is an English fighter who has some set ways ad opinions only added a dash of spice to affairs.
After having her hand raised in victory, Cameron called Taylor, "One of the the greatest female fighters there is."
When the microphone was handed to Taylor, who remains the lightweight champion as she had stepped up to Cameron's division, was nothing but magnanimous.
Asked if she felt she had won the fight, the 36-year-old said, "I'm not sure, to be honest. I'll have to look back on the fight.
"It was obviously a very close fight but it is not how I wanted my homecoming to go.
"I'm just so grateful for all the support, regardless. Thank you so much. Congratulations to Chantelle on such a fantastic performance, and thank you so much for this opportunity to fight for you belts. I'm looking forward to the rematch!"
As Taylor tried her best to grin through the pain of defeat, many in the crowd changed their tune and gave both the home-town hero and Cameron a warm reception.
Eddie Hearn did confirm there is a rematch clause in the fight and that it would take place in Dublin, in the autumn. Whether that is at 3 Arena, again, or Croke Park is another story.
A lot more Irish fans know of Chantelle Cameron now and the narrative is building nicely. We could yet see Taylor go all-or-nothing when they step in the ring again.
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