“When people run in circles, it’s a very, very mad world, mad world.”
As the clock ticked towards the final event, and we were just moments away from seeing Katie Taylor return to the 3Arena and try to get revenge on Chantelle Cameron, there was a cocktail of emotions bubbling amongst the crowd.
Of course excitement was coursing through our bodies as we have been building up this fight for months, and were willing that bell to ring like school kids at 3pm on a Friday afternoon, desperate for the taste of salvation and promise of the weekend.
However, there was no escaping the fact that there was an absence of confidence among supporters. Nervous knees were bouncing up and down, as doubtful gasps of “God I hope she can do it” pierced through the anticipation, and momentarily punctured the mood.
On the big screen above, a promo was playing, showing highlights of the first fight. The intense battle that the two warriors shared, the ecstatic face of Cameron as she was announced as the winner, and the dejected, corpse-like image of Taylor, who sunk into a place that closely compares with grieving.
The song that played over that promo was Mad World by Michael Andrews, and as I scanned the faces of those around me, staring at the ghost of their hero’s past, the lyrics set the tone perfectly.
All around me are familiar faces, worn-out places, worn-out faces. Bright and early for their daily races, going nowhere, going nowhere…
You think of the havoc and heartache that Dublin has suffered and waded through in the past few days, the worried looks of your friends and family as the city, and indeed the country, enters a period of unrest.
You’ve seen the clips of looters, stealing from local stores, running fast but really not going anywhere. They may think that they have gotten off scot free, but the trainers they stole will soon be out fashion, and they will still be the aimless souls that made them see a tragedy, and turn it into an opportunity for gain.
Back to the 3Arena, people were hoping for something to cheer about. To be proud of. To say that, even though some of us are running in circles in this mad world, some of are still ambitious, proud and brave enough to back ourselves.
Taylor marched into that ring for the first time in her professional career without the confidence of her loyal supporters behind her. Yes, they backed her to the tilt, but a lot were hoping rather than believing.
Seeing someone who has been as successful as Taylor, be deemed as an underdog, is a strange thing to comprehend, but given Cameron’s incredible performance last time around, it simply seemed like a mountain too high this time.
The spilled blood that stained the carpet of the ring was a powerful sight, but even it did not fully show just how much these two girls gave in that fight. It was heroic beyond belief to watch two boxers, at the very top of their field, break their bodies and spirits in order to get over the line.
Taylor was able to break a little bit more though, and brought herself to a new level as she did what seemed impossible.
I’m not talking about winning the fight, underdog or not. Everyone knows that Taylor still had a great chance. But, for one night anyway, she restored an enormous amount of pride back into Ireland that was sadly lost over the past 48 hours.
Of course, it doesn’t undo any of the tragic events that unfolded, or the horrible aftermath that it resulted in, but it allowed us to wave the flag again, sing Taylor’s name and shout from the roof top that “she’s ours”.
Taylor is the very best of us, and she is a beacon of light to help guide us through this Mad World.
Chantelle Cameron vs Katie Taylor, this Saturday November 25th, kicks off an unrivalled schedule live on DAZN. Sign-up at DAZN.com
Related links:
- Eagle-eyed fans notice key difference in Katie Taylor during build up to rematch
- Chantelle Cameron has changed how she thinks of Katie Taylor after first fight
- “She is on the slide” – British boxing hero gives cut-throat take on Katie Taylor’s career
