The press conference that officially sealed the rematch between the two best undisputed champions of the moment took place. Chantelle Cameron will once again defend her World Boxing Association 140 lbs. crown against Katie Taylor on November 25 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
With their usual mutual respect, Cameron and Taylor shared statements with the press and posed for the photo that will undoubtedly be remembered in the future as one of the most important moments in the sport.
Last May, on the same stage, both fighters offered a high impact show and a complete delivery of both in the ring. Unlike what everyone expected, Taylor ended up with the first professional defeat of her career and in front of her home crowd. Then, Katie stepped back, a great silence that led to the building assumptions in the boxing world: “Will it be time for her retirement?” Far from it, Taylor cleared the doubts during the press conference, first with a joke: “Don’t insult me.” And then she added; “Not at all. That would have been a terrible way to withdraw. Losses are obviously hard to take, but you just take it and move on. I never, ever stop.” And in continuation, she elaborated a bit on her absence from the spotlight; “I just spent a little bit of time at home with the family. That’s what I usually do after all my fights, but it’s great to be around people who love you, regardless of what happens in the ring.”
“Before the first fight, I said how important it was to bring professional boxing to Ireland and, although the night didn’t go my way, it was an amazing night full of entertaining fights. The atmosphere was very, very special and I was excited to come out that night. Just to see and hear the crowd at my first fight here as a pro, it was amazing. I’m so grateful to fight here again,” said Taylor, concluding with what this event means to her after what she experienced in the first one.
For her part, Cameron said she was more effervescent and determined to win again, “but in a much more devastating way”. She said: “I don’t think it was such a close fight (the first one) that I needed a rematch to be honest, there were some close rounds, but I won comfortably. I don’t think I got the credit for beating Katie. This is still Katie’s show, it’s her homecoming again, but it was important for me to have the ringwalk second. This fight is going to be completely different. As much as I respect Katie outside the ring, inside those ropes there is no respect. I know how to beat Katie, I know she can’t hurt me. I’m bigger, stronger and I’m going to be a lot more aggressive.”
Keeping her low profile, Taylor also assured she feels very confident about winning the November rematch and with excitement for the challenge expressed that: “I’m going to have to adapt and make some improvements, but I think I will win this fight.
We are both going into the ring super confident that we can come out with a win. I don’t care if I’m an underdog or favorite or if my name is on the left or right side of a poster. My mentality is the same. We always train to win and I’m willing to push myself to the brink to do it. I have no problem being in the trenches. The last fight was fantastic,” concluded Taylor with signs of renewed enthusiasm to return to the ring and face Cameron who was one of the toughest opponents in his rented sporting journey.
All is said and done. And while Cameron will look to maintain the positive numbers of 18 wins with 8 knockouts, Taylor will try to correct the only blemish of his career, in 22 wins with 6 quick wins and 1 loss, to become undisputed in two different weight divisions.
