Chantelle Cameron vs Katie Taylor: Big Fight Preview & Prediction

Chantelle Cameron vs Katie Taylor: Big Fight Preview & Prediction

Make no mistake, Katie Taylor could have taken a far safer route for her long-awaited homecoming. Once Amanda Serrano had pulled out injured, not many would have cared who would be in the opposite corner. But Taylor has picked almost certainly the toughest test out there.

Chantelle Cameron (17-0) has always wanted this fight. But even Cameron would have thought it would never come. The suspicion was that the undisputed world light-welterweight champion was too much of a risk. But to her credit, Taylor has not only taken the fight she has done so at Cameron’s weight. No dragging her opponent down to a weight that reduces the chances of victory for the fighter in the ‘away’ corner. Taylor is a throwback fighter and an embarrassment to many of her contemporaries who seem happy to live a life of convenience and avoidance. The Dublin Arena will not only see unbeaten vs unbeaten and undisputed vs undisputed, it is that rare occurrence in boxing where nobody knows for sure who will.

They’ve fought before. In 2011, Taylor won. It means nothing now. Cameron will defend all her belts. Both are chasing so much more. A legacy fight that in truth needs no titles.

Taylor has danced at 140 before. Taylor beat Christina Linardatou in 2019 for her WBO bauble. It was a tough night for Taylor. Linardatou claimed she was robbed. She wasn’t. But it was close enough for at least some debate. The worry for Taylor is that Cameron is bigger. And crucially, better. Much better. Cameron is also in her prime. Taylor might be on the other side of hers. Despite the home town advantage, the smell of an upset is very much in the air.

The Irish superstar is the slight betting favourite. But there is little confidence in those odds. You can get 9-4 for a Cameron win on points. But can she get a decision in Dublin? Cameron can’t even make the right side of the fight poster. A fact that is understandable and insulting at the same time.

Cameron is the champion. An undisputed one at that. Taylor is the star of the show. The reason why we are here. She’s also a big reason why women’s boxing is where it is now. Taylor creates another bit of history on Saturday night as her exile in her native land finally comes to an end. But Cameron isn’t here to play a supporting role in the production. But if she freezes in the bright lights, her fight might be lost before it even starts. Taylor will start fast. Of that, there is no question. Cameron needs to go with her. If Taylor puts rounds in the bank, she will be incredibly difficult to catch.

Taylor has come close to losing before. Delfine Persoon came close. Twice. Serrano had her rocking. And badly. Natasha Jonas came within a round of beating her in 2021. Only a slow start cost the Liverpool fighter. Cameron needs to learn from what cost her friend so dearly. If the fight is even after four rounds, the champion, and that is Chantelle Cameron for clarity, will more than fancy her chances. To beat Taylor, you need to apply pressure and plenty of it. Cameron will surely do that. If she doesn’t or waits too long to do so, she will lose.

It is the fight Cameron has always craved. Now she finally has it. She must know it will not come around again if she loses. Add in the obvious concerns over possible hometown judging bias, Cameron knows she can leave no doubt in the judge’s eyes. We could be in for something very special on Saturday night.

But can Cameron really win? Every little bit of success Taylor has will be amplified by her vocal faithful. The undisputed lightweight champion is a master at winning rounds and indeed fights. Taylor is still unbeaten in twenty-two fights for a reason. Every single time defeat was seemingly imminent, Taylor found something that only special fighters can find. To win, Cameron will have to fight at a pace she has never fought at before. In the biggest fight of her life, Cameron will have to give the performance of her life. And then hope, she gets a fair deal on the cards. If it’s anywhere near close, you fear Taylor will be favoured.

But Cameron could be in the right place at the right time. Taylor is 36 with many miles on the clock. At some point in the next 12 months, she will lose. Even if she gets past Cameron, the likes of Serrano, Mikaela Mayer, and Alycia Baumgardner may all fight Taylor. Trust me, they all have more than a chance of beating her. One of them will. I have a feeling Cameron will get there first and upset the party this weekend.

Speed will be the key for Taylor. If she uses it and sticks to her boxing, the party can commence. But there is that tendency to stay in the pocket and trade unnecessary punches with her opponent. It nearly cost her against Serrano in that sensational 5th round in New York last year, and if Taylor makes the same mistake against Cameron, it could very well be her undoing. The champion will look to use her physicality to wear down the smaller and older undisputed lightweight champion. In simple terms, Cameron has to put it on Taylor. It might not be pretty at times. But for Cameron, it doesn’t have to be. She just has to win. And I believe she will.

Only a fool would write off someone as talented as Katie Taylor. Her desire and ability are unquestionable, and if she can use her speed and movement, her natural assets, her best route to victory, then Cameron will likely leave Ireland empty-handed. Where the fight takes place, will determine who wins.

Cameron can’t do just enough to win. She has to do more than enough to win. Cameron can’t expect any favours on a night that will be high in emotion. That I think will be the deciding factor. The champion will raise her game accordingly. A good start is almost certainly what Cameron needs. She can’t fall behind early. Two-minute rounds, especially against Taylor, are not made for playing catch-up. It will take an almost perfect fight to win. Whoever wins will likely need a career-best performance to do so. But Cameron can rise to the occasion, I don’t see her being overwhelmed by the magnitude of the occasion, and I feel Cameron will find what she needs. After an even enough start, Cameron will make it more her type of fight as the rounds progress. I see Cameron taking control in the second half of a contest that will be befitting of the occasion. It won’t be easy, but I have a feeling Cameron will get the job done by way of a wafer-thin points decision. It could be closer than it needs to be. Let’s hope it is on the right side of justice.

One party might get ruined by the upset win, but another will begin. Cameron recently turned 32, and you can only imagine what those delayed birthday celebrations will be like if Cameron inflicts the first defeat on the professional resume of Katie Taylor.

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing