DUBLIN (Reuters) – England’s Chantelle Cameron scored the biggest win of her career by handing Irish fighter Katie Taylor her first professional defeat to retain her undisputed super-lightweight world championship title at the Three Arena on Saturday.
The majority decision win on the judges’ scorecards moves Cameron to 18-0 as a professional while Taylor, the undisputed lightweight champion and one of the most influential figures in women’s boxing, drops to 22-1.
“It was a close fight. Katie is a great fighter, pound for pound the best woman fighter there is, but I turned up for the occasion,” Cameron said in a post-fight interview.
Taylor, who won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London, was fighting on home soil for the first time as a professional, and the raucous sold-out crowd backed her all the way.
The 36-year-old Irishwoman started brightly, scoring with combinations but she slowed as the early rounds wore on, standing in the pocket and getting caught by her taller, more powerful English opponent.
In the fifth round Cameron’s left hand loosened Taylor’s tightly braided hair, impairing the Irish fighter’s vision and her team had to work quickly during the break to tie it back.
Cameron, 32, continued to pile on the pressure in the sixth round but Taylor stood toe to toe with her in the centre of the ring, refusing to back down as they pair traded heavy punches.
Despite slipping behind, Taylor poured on the punches in the final round but it was not enough and Cameron was awarded the victory by majority decision.
“It’s obviously not how I wanted my homecoming to go,” Taylor said, with promoter Eddie Hearn confirming that a rematch would take place. “Congratulations to Chantelle and thanks for the opportunity to fight for your belts, I’m looking forward to the rematch.”
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Richard Chang)
