Former undisputed junior welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron 18-1 (8) says referee Roberto Ramirez Jr conspired against her in her bout against Katie Taylor 23-1 (6) at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on November 25.
The 32-year-old Brit lost her WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF 140-pound titles to Ireland’s Taylor, 37, by majority decision 95-95, 92-98 and 94-96. Taylor was on the canvas in the opening round but Ramirez Jr ruled it a slip.
The bout was a rematch of their May tussle that Cameron won by majority decision 96-94, 96-94 and 95-95.
Now Cameron is demanding a trilogy bout with Taylor after claiming the official in the ring for their second fight worked against her.
“It wasn’t just me and Katie in that ring. If it was, I’d take the loss and say the better women won on the night,” Cameron told BBC Radio Northampton.
“I had everything against me. The ref on the night… it was such a high-status fight, why would you put in a referee that no-one had heard of?
“That’s not my job, it’s my job to fight. I don’t look into who’s reffing, who’s judging. I’m just frustrated – if I could turn back the hands of time, I would make sure that was all looked into. I’ve learnt my lesson.”
Cameron also believes that Eddie Hearn, who promotes both boxers, is not as keen on a third fight between the pair as he has previously indicated.
“They always knew I was a threat against Katie Taylor and that’s what happened in the first fight when you see Eddie nearly crying when I actually beat her,” Cameron told BBC Look East.
“In the second fight, in the celebrations, he forgot I was his fighter as well. He was jumping up and down, happy… obviously they’ve had a great story together and a great journey, but they represent me as well.
“I want the trilogy but it’s hard to work with someone that does that to you. I respect him as a promoter, I became undisputed under him, but [Hearn celebrating Taylor’s win] was a little bit cruel and embarrassing for me as well.”
In a statement, Hearn’s company Matchroom Boxing played a straight bat: “We have supported her throughout her journey with us and will continue to do so.
“We hope to make the trilogy fight with Katie Taylor next so Chantelle has the opportunity to fight again for the titles she lost last month in Dublin.”
Cameron said she is yet to watch the fight back in full and dissect what went right and what went wrong.
“It’s not the time to watch it back at the minute because it will just make me more and more angry, so for the time being, I’m just going to let it settle a bit,” she said.
Cameron’s long-term goal is to box at Franklin’s Gardens in her native Northampton.
“I need to get a belt so I can bring it back to Northampton and fight in front of my home town, my friends, my family, a homecoming,” she said.
“I’ll get a belt back. I’ve got the champion mindset. I don’t think it was a fair match, the belts were snatched off me by not just Katie, there was a lot of stuff going on outside the ring.
“I’m determined now to kind of fight everyone, I feel it’s me against the world now.”
