After last May’s first bout with Chantelle Cameron produced possibly the most bitter moment of her boxing career, perhaps outside of Rio 2016, Katie Taylor finally got her hometown redemption in Dublin on Saturday. And given the way it unfolded, would we really have wanted it any other way?
Taylor, all week displaying a more steeled look of determination ahead of her rematch with the unbeaten Briton Cameron, brought a more spiky personality with her to the ring inside a packed 3Arena in Dublin’s Docklands on Saturday night. And after a tough opening round against the world’s undisputed light-welterweight champion in which Cameron’s tank-like walk-forward aggression looked as though it may overcome Taylor’s trademark speed and precision, it was the Bray woman who took over from round two onwards.
Before the midway point, and with Cameron forehead displaying the damage from more than one unintentional head-clash, Taylor had surged into the lead as her actions in the ring matched her determination to avenge her sole professional loss.
Cameron, like Taylor, a dominant world champion in her own regard, rallied late as Taylor visibly tired, but when the final bell rang there was little denying who the victor was, even if one judge somewhat unusually opted to award Cameron the win. But official, Katie Taylor won a split decision to become a two-weight undisputed world champion. Only two boxers before her have ever achieved that feat: Terence Crawford and Claressa Shields.
And with the scores at 1-1, Taylor made clear her intentions for a third bout, and ideally for it to take place on Irish sport’s most sacred soil.
“Whoever wrote me off, they obviously don’t know me very well,” Taylor said afterwards. “I’m nearly offended I was the underdog for this fight. Don’t ever doubt me. The last fight you saw the worst of me and the best of Chantelle and I think it was still a close fight. Tonight you saw the real me, and when I box like that nobody can beat me.
“Let’s get the trilogy at Croke Park.”
Her promoter, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, agreed: “Honestly, it’s the single greatest night I think I’ve experienced in the sport. You should be so proud of her. In a world where everybody’s life is under the microscope, have you ever heard one person say a bad word about this woman? Never.
“She deserves everything,” added Hearn. “Croke Park has to happen! It has to happen. Next spring/summer we will create an event you will never forget.”
