Undisputed super lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron gives Katie Taylor the chance of redemption when the two rematch at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on November 25.
Cameron (18-0, 8 KOs) won a close majority decision to hand the Irish superstar her first professional career defeat in a fight many believed the Englishwoman was far superior to than what the scorecards suggested.
Taylor activated the rematch clause to see the pair of undisputed champions come face-to-face at yesterday’s official press conference in the Irish capital.
“It has been good, life has been great.” Cameron said of her time since the win over Taylor in an exclusive interview for ProBox TV. “I think it's just because I am happy because of my life outside of boxing too. I say it all the time ‘there is more to life than just boxing.’ I love boxing and it is great, it’s given me this great life but I do think I have to be right outside of boxing too, which is most important to me. It has been a struggle at times in my career getting that balance.
“It’s a huge process actually. You have to make subtle changes over time. It’s so important, it's such a hard sport and there are a lot of down days. There have been many days where I cried over boxing and thought ‘why am I doing this?’ Now I’m so much happier because I’m doing so much stuff outside of boxing which makes me enjoy boxing more. It's just a journey I have been on.”
There was a spring Cameron’s step yesterday in Dublin. The Northampton based 32 year-old wasn’t meant to win against a nation’s treasure on their grand homecoming. However, she did, and with some dominance. Cameron’s name comes first ahead of Taylor's for the rematch as the apparent favourite.
“Definitely, no!” Cameron answered if she was missing some needle heading into the rematch. “There is a lot of needle in me, you definitely got that one wrong. There is a lot of needle and a lot of spite.”
There was talk of Cameron moving down to lightweight where Taylor holds all four belts. However, the rematch remains at 140 pounds.
“It would have been unreal to have the rematch at lightweight because that would have been a great opportunity for me.” Cameron explained, “Katie had a chance to become undisputed in two weight classes in the first fight, I want that as well. I want to make my own legacy and career defining moment for me, but I’m not getting it now, so I just got to get on with it.
“I’m expecting a better version of Katie in the rematch. But, I’m all wrong for Katie Taylor, my style is too. No matter what is going to be different on that night, I’m going to be better and I’m going to be making improvements, I’m going to be going up another gear. I’m just so focused on me and making sure that the best version of me comes out on fight night. People have certainly seen that I can fight now and people know what I am about. I’m just focused on the fighting, anything else apart from that is just nonsense.”
