Chantelle Cameron: A Touch of Balance

Chantelle Cameron: A Touch of Balance

It’s incredibly easy to dismiss the recent words of Chantelle Cameron following her recent defeat to Katie Taylor in Dublin as sour grapes. A sore loser who is looking to blame anyone but herself for losing her unbeaten record and her undisputed world super-lightweight titles to Taylor in their rematch late last month. A narrative that is even easier to form when some of those words are aimed at certain media outlets’ favourite promoter and the armchair pundits’ favourite fighter. The coverage of the interview Cameron gave the BBC earlier this week was never going to be favourable to the Northampton fighter. And largely, it wasn’t. A touch of balance would have been nice. And fair.

But those words from Cameron should not be so easily dismissed. At the very least, she deserves the benefit of the doubt. From what I know of the situation, I have a lot of sympathy with Cameron.

Some may label her choice of words as delusional paranoia. But we have to remember that back in May, a fight that Cameron dominated and won beyond any reasonable doubt, the judges even had that fight uncomfortably close. One judge somehow scored it a draw. A scorecard that is beyond difficult to justify. Based on everything surrounding that first fight, Cameron can justifiably carry some semblance of paranoia around with her. But it could be a little more than that.

“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?” Cameron’s words about her rematch with Taylor from the aforementioned BBC interview.

The referee clearly missed an opening-round knockdown that Taylor suffered. The extra point wouldn’t have changed the outcome on the official cards on the night, but the momentum certainly would have changed. You could also more than argue that the referee could and should have been more forceful with Taylor’s use of her head and more so the constant holding that stopped Cameron from doing her best work on the inside. He could very easily have deducted a point from Taylor. This observer thinks he should have done. The complaints from Cameron about the referee do have some merit. Why shouldn’t she air those concerns?

The accusations against her promoter of bias towards Taylor, the masses will have to judge for themselves if the former undisputed champion is on the right page. But Cameron certainly believes that to be the case. Maybe there is something else that led to Cameron saying what she did? A simmering feeling of discontent that has only now risen to the surface. Only Cameron and her inner circle know what really goes on behind closed doors. But we should not just label her a sore loser or a cry baby. It’s a lazy assumption to make. And a convenient one.

Cameron obviously feels she has been treated differently to Katie Taylor over the course of their two fights. If that is indeed the case, it is plainly wrong. Both fighters are currently represented by Matchroom, and they should be treated and promoted in the exact same manner. At least for the fights that they are both involved in. Even from the outside, it is incredibly easy to view both fights as being about the Katie Taylor homecoming story, with Cameron being just an unwanted visitor who should be grateful just for being there. A bit part player in the production who was expected to lose in the first fight and then go away quietly.

Cameron was the defending, unbeaten, and undisputed champion in the first fight, a little fact that was seemingly forgotten by many, but she was nevertheless made to ring walk first. Her face and name were on the wrong side of the fight poster. In some ways, it was understandable that the promotion was Katie Taylor heavy. But at the same time, it was beyond insulting to Cameron.

When Cameron upset the odds and ruined the party, you knew that definitely wasn’t part of the script. I agree with Cameron that in the rematch, she was up against it in many ways. The feeling was that she had to win big to get the decision. A fight should be judged on what we see. Not what some want you to see. Sentiment shouldn’t even come into it. Imagine going into a fight knowing that winning fair and square might not be enough.

The rematch was admittedly a close fight, certainly a lot closer than the DAZN commentary, and one judge had it. From ringside, I had it all square in rounds but I couldn’t argue too much with Taylor edging it. But equally, you have to say that the referee missed some big calls that would have made a definitive difference to the outcome. Cameron has grounds for complaint on a number of issues. Why should she stay silent if she strongly and genuinely feels that way?

Eddie Hearn has responded to the comments that Cameron made. He has his opinion on the situation. But so too has Chantelle Cameron. A bit of balance and context to the reporting and subsequent comments would be nice. As ever, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. A lot is said in the public domain. But even more is said that goes unreported. Not everything that is said in front of the cameras is the whole story. Sometimes, you have to keep an open mind. Too many, don’t.

Hearn will defend his position vigorously. You wouldn’t expect anything less. The various video outlets will remember to press record but some forget to ask questions with a touch of balance. Unwittingly or not, they just become glorified promotional PR machines. That isn’t proper journalism. This is the modern-day boxing media. What chance does the fighter on the wrong side of the narrative really have?

Rightly or wrongly, Cameron is clearly unhappy about a lot of things. Maybe some should dig a little deeper and find out why. They might be surprised with what they find.

Matchroom and Hearn have done a lot for the career of Cameron. Of that there is no doubt. But could they have done more? Cameron obviously thinks so. Why wasn’t the fight with Katie Taylor never delivered previously? If Taylor hadn’t called out Cameron when Amanda Serrano pulled out of their rematch last year, would the fight have ever materialised? I have my doubts. Taylor most definitely forced their hand.

There are clearly problems with the working relationship. But we shouldn’t just blame the fighter without the full facts in hand. There are always two sides to every story. If we listen to Hearn. We should listen to Cameron also. Humility works both ways.

Some will say and have said that the BBC interview could and should cost Cameron the trilogy fight with Taylor. Or even her place on the Matchroom roster. But why? Is she supposed to just keep quiet, roll over, and play nice just to ensure that she gets that third fight? Is boxing really that shallow? Maybe it is? But it shouldn’t be.

Why can’t disgruntled fighters speak out if they feel aggrieved. Is the sport really governed by fear and control? The voice of the fighter should always be listened to.

As one fighter recently told me:

‘We’re asked to take it or leave it, grin and bear it, put up and shut up. They’re the only options. Stand by your morals, and you don’t get the opportunities. It’s not fair or right.’

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing