Chantelle ‘Il Capo’ Cameron 18-0 (8) might be the undisputed junior welterweight champion of the world, but she believes she still doesn’t get the credit she deserves.
The 32-year-old Brit gave Irish superstar and undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor 22-1 (6) her first loss by majority decision in their 140-pound bout at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland last May.
Cameron will be out to prove that result was no fluke when she returns to the same venue on Saturday night in her bid to repeat the performance in her immediate rematch against he 37-year-old Taylor.
“I can see why Katie wants to fight me on her own terms, but that’s wound me up. I have to come back to Dublin again, give her a second run at a homecoming,” Cameron said to Irish Boxing.
“I never had a homecoming – you’re not putting your belts on the line, this is my legacy, and I feel like I’m being held back a bit because Katie is getting another shot at me again.
“I’m spiteful, I’m horrible, I’m just a completely different fighter and that’s why on November 25 I know that a whole different version of me is about to be in that ring.”
Taylor says she simply had an off night in their first encounter and has vowed to perform better the second time around.
“Mentally and physically I feel a lot better going into this one,” said Taylor, who suffered her first loss since the amateurs when she was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016.
“I just had a bit of a flat night, just a flat performance. I certainly wasn’t myself on the night, and I think everybody who watched the fight could see that.”
Cameron is the betting favourite going in to the rematch but she still sees herself as the underdog. In her eyes, Taylor has made excuses for the May 20 loss.
“The excuses are firing me up and it’s got me thinking ‘do you know what, I’m going to make sure and do a better job this time’,” Cameron said.
“I’m going to be coming forward, I’m going to be picking my shots so they are cleaner and harder, I’m going to be dominant and I’m going to be brutal.
“What’s the excuse going to be this time? I am going to hurt Katie Taylor.”
Cameron won her first world title in May 2021 when she knocked out Melissa Hernandez in five frames to claim the WBC lightweight strap. A wide points win over IBF champion ‘Merciless’ Mary McGhee saw her become the unified champion five months later.
Last November, Cameron defeated the highly-regarded Jessica ‘CasKilla’ McCaskill by unanimous decision to become undisputed champion.
Cameron vs Taylor II will be broadcast on DAZN.
