Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor will collide for a second time at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on November 25.
The two undisputed champions square off for Cameron’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO super lightweight titles, Taylor opting again to climb up from her original 135 pounds where she holds all the keys. The anticipated rematch takes place in Taylor’s homeland six months on from her grand homecoming which saw professional boxing spring back to life in the country after a dark hiatus.
“In the rematch clause we had the right to stage it wherever we wanted, and also we wanted to generate the most amount of money to pay these girls a lot of money.” Hearn said in an exclusive interview for ProBox TV. “Sometimes you have to make the numbers work. We know it will be a fast sellout here in Dublin, There was a huge gate last time.
“Chantelle, of course, should feel like she should have the fight in England, but it couldn’t generate the money needed to make it a success. That's what we are looking to do, that’s why she is back here and I feel like the atmosphere will be even better this time, if that is even possible. We saw the gate and the atmosphere here last time, and this was the place to do it.”
Taylor lost to Cameron by majority decision this past May to the dismay of her home crowd. It was a bout most thought was a clear and deserved victory, with many now picking Cameron to again overcome the Irish superstar.
“I think Chantelle is full of confidence,” Hearn explained.” As I said in the first press conference ‘do you really believe you can beat Katie Taylor’ going into that fight. She’s done it now! She has beaten her and beat her well. She now thinks that ‘I can beat her better, I can stop her this time.’ In her own quotes, she said she ‘will destroy her’ this time around.
“Katie is always the same, but inside, trust me the firing is burning so fiercely for this fight. There will be things she said that she didn’t like, there will be times when she will go away in training camp thinking [about this fight]. She is so pumped for this fight, and when she says ‘it is just another fight’ it is a must win. It could be career defining. She called it herself, ‘the biggest fight of her career.’ So it is a monster fight.”
Taylor’s age of 37 coupled with potential back-to-back losses has reporters asking if retirement is on the horizon. Hearn, who promotes both women, appeared unfazed by the prospect of second consecutive defeat to one of his marquee names.
“I think there are fights out there for her.” Hearn said in response to what do you do if Taylor loses? “I think whenever someone loses back-to-back you have to look at the nature of the defeat. If it is a close fight and you are not deteriorating as a fighter then you should carry on. If your chin is not the same and you got badly injured or getting knocked out, all these kinds of things. If you are getting older then that is a consideration, but for her it’s a must win.
“I represent both fighters, so I’m definitely on the fence. I just feel like, weirdly that I understand Chantelle’s confidence because of what happened last time, but Katie is very confident going into this fight. She feels like she wasn’t at her best and she under performed [in the first fight]. But, Chantelle said ‘I felt your power and you can’t hurt me.’ Katie said ‘you didn’t hurt me.’ I think both girls are going to come out like trains in this fight from the first round and start trading. I think it will be fight of the year.”
