As Chantelle Cameron prepares for the first defence of her WBC light-welterweight title, the 29-year-old tells Boxing Social that she fears a super-fight against Katie Taylor will never happen …
Chantelle Cameron has a naturally sunny disposition. But when she speaks about Irish icon Katie Taylor, the fighting pride of Northampton finds it impossible to keep the frustration out of her voice.
It’s a frustration born of the fact that Cameron has had Taylor in her sights for many months now, if not years, yet a showdown that appears a natural and compelling match – perhaps the most compelling that could be made in women’s boxing – is seemingly as far as ever from coming to fruition
“Honestly?” Cameron ponders. “I don’t think that fight is ever going to happen. That’s my completely honest opinion. All the excuses about why we can’t have it – blah blah blah. Then she [Taylor] goes and boxes someone who doesn’t have as big a profile as me.
“Her team don’t seem to consider me. I win a world title and there’s still no conversation about me. They say things about my profile – but I’ve just won a world title and I’m with Matchroom – then she fights people who nobody’s heard of sometimes.
“A few of her opponents – I mean they go on about my profile, but who are these? All of these little title things like that are all adding up. It’s getting to the point where she’s running out of opponents. So what’s she going to do? If the fight’s ever going to happen I’ll be the last option.”
Cameron maintains – as she has done consistently since turning over in 2017 – that she will be able to beat Taylor, and thus reverse the result of when they met as amateurs in the semi-finals of the 2011 European championships.
“To be honest I didn’t watch her fight against [Miriam] Gutierrez [in November, which Taylor won by unanimous decision]. But I watched her second fight against [Delfine] Persoon [in August, which Taylor also won by unanimous decision],” Cameron says.
“I thought she won that one but the first fight [against Persoon] she definitely didn’t win. 100 per cent. I feel like she got manhandled in there. The second one was a close fight. Very close. Katie won. But it was a tough fight for her again.
“I’m better than Persoon. I’ve got more boxing ability, I punch harder and I’m stronger. To me that’s why the fight will never happen – because Katie knows that as well.”
Cameron admits her frustration is not necessarily levelled at Taylor personally, but at the team who surround and advise her.
“To be honest I don’t think it’s so much Katie, I think it’s her team that don’t want the fight. I think Katie will fight whoever. But she’s being directed and the path is being laid for her to build a legacy. I’d say it’s not Katie avoiding the fight, it’s her team.”
Once we place the subject of Taylor to one side and move on to discussing her 20 March WBC title defence defence against the experienced Melissa Hernandez (23-7-3), Cameron’s natural ebullience soon returns.
“I’m so excited,” she says of the fact she is returning to the ring within six months of winning the title. “I’m also grateful because there’s so many boxers out there that ain’t getting fights at the moment. So to get the opportunity to be out again despite the pandemic we’re in, I’m so excited.”
Training, Cameron maintains, is going well, despite the restrictions and inconveniences engendered by the spectre of Covid-19.
“I’m adapting,” she explains. “Obviously the weather at the moment is absolutely shocking, so when I’m running outside it’s freezing, but the gyms are open for professionals so I’m in the gym and we’re making do with the facilities we’ve got. I’m putting the work in – that’s the main thing.”
Puerto Rican Hernandez has fought in constantly good company – remarkably she has fought Layla McCartwr four times (winning once), Jelena Mrdjenovich three times (winning twice) and Erica Anabella Farias once (a fight she lost).
“It’s a tough fight for me,” is Cameron’s assessment. “She’s got that awkward style. She’s slick, she’s got a lot of experience, she’s been around for years. But I’m looking forward to it. I feel like I’m going to put on a good show, make a big statement and get a good win.
“Obviously I don’t want to give too much away [about my training] because I’m in camp right now … but I’m working on my phases, mixing my shots up, body to head a bit more and not engaging when I don’t have to engage.
“I’m not going to look past Hernandez – she’s a dangerous opponent and she’scoming to win, but I’ve made it clear I want to be undisputed world champion in my weight division. I’m targeting all the other world champions but also I’m willing to move up and fight the winner of [Jessica] McCaskill and [Cecilia] Braekhus.”
That eagerly awaited rematch takes place the week before Cameron squares off against Hernandez. When asked for her view of who will win, the 29-year-old edges in favour of the Norwegian ‘First Lady’.
“I think Cecilia may edge it. Her boxing IQ is unbelievable and I think she’ll nick rounds and be the winner. She wants those belts back. She was reigning champion for God knows how many years. Last time it was a close fight that could have gone either way so she’s going to want redemption.
“If McCaskill wins she says she wants Taylor, which is obviously another great female fight. McCaskill gave Taylor a good fight the first time and I think she’s improved since then.”
All of which brings us back to Katie Taylor again…
The Irishwoman may cast a shadow over Cameron’s career, but likewise there will always be a consistent question mark hanging over Taylor’s accomplishments as long as she fails to take on her confident and hard-hitting English rival.
Cameron and Taylor. Taylor and Cameron.
Names linked by common ambition and uncommon ability.
The fight’s a natural.
Over to you, Katie…